Aunt Henrietta's Circus
by Helena Mira
Summary: Exciting things are happening for the Everetts, but Aunt Henrietta continues to have ominous premonitions. Fortunately, one of Phoebe's cousins comes to visit at the same time. As more family visitors arrive, she becomes very helpful. Story is a continuation of "The Science Fair."
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own these characters and make no profit from their use._

**Aunt Henrietta's Circus**

**Prologue**

It was late-May as Phoebe found herself in her third trimester of her pregnancy. Little Maisie was a very active girl. She was already showing a proclivity towards the Figalilly intuitions. It was one of those times when Phoebe desperately missed her mother. She knew that Mum could have told her whether she or Trelawney had also shown these tendencies while still in the womb. Short of going back to the village to ask her own female relatives, there was not much that she could do other than wonder.

Of course, Maisie was not of pure lineage. Phoebe suspected that this might be offset by the fact that she was a fated child. If Trelawney had sensed her coming as far back as October, before she was even conceived, then she must have a very strong presence.

There were many deep connections that Phoebe felt with her child, but it was impossible to know what was normal and what was normal for a woman of her race. Such things were never written down, only passed along as part of their own oral tradition. This tradition, and the code of silence that surrounded it, insured that their secrets were kept safe from outsiders.

As she was wondering this, she received a letter from Emmeline's older sister Sylvia. Sylvia was coming for a visit. The intention was that this would be a completely social call, with no upsetting interrogations or snooping. Uncle David simply wanted to know how things were going for them, especially her and the baby.

Trelawney's twelfth birthday was also approaching. Last year, her birthday was so close to their parents' passing that the girl had just wanted to forget it. She understood, having insisted that the family forget her own birthday back in April. This year, she had humored them and allowed them to have a cake, but she really hadn't wanted a fuss. She also had not wanted gifts, but was touched when she received a crib for the baby, constructed by Rob and the boys and made up with bedding created by Catherine and the girls.

When Maisie would finally be old enough to move into the nursery, things would be ready for her. Hal had purchased new wallpaper, filled with Beatrix Potter characters, that he promised to put up once the semester was over. Like Phoebe, Trelawney really didn't like being fussed over either, but Catherine wanted to do something special for her with her friends. Just as the crib had been a lovely surprise, she wanted to do something similar for the younger sister. Now Sylvia could be included in the plans.

Of course Lewis had only been there a month ago, but that had hardly been a social call. Lewis had made sure that Trelawney's custody was secure with Catherine and Rob until Phoebe could take it over again. But Lewis was also a very busy man. He had flown out after a long weekend to Geneva for an important trial. Knowing Lewis, there was little doubt that he had told Uncle David the things that he really wanted to know. Uncle David had also written to her.

He had been very pleased when Catherine had pulled Trelawney from school. His letter rang with praise and approval of that decision and the decision to actively search for a private school where her "uniqueness" would be appreciated. They had discovered several good possibilities in the area. Luckily, she was accepted into her first choice. He was also happy that they had more time together. Since all the written reports were good, he thought that Sylvia would be a good choice as visitor.

His son William wanted to visit as well, but he was torn between his desire to see his cousins and his determination to stick to Cholmondeley like glue. They had left Africa and were traipsing about the outback of Australia now. If Cholmondeley was suspicious of his sudden friendship, he said nothing. Of course Cousin Liam was a most jovial traveling companion. Knowing her ex-fiancé, he was probably flattered that the other man found his own company so engaging.

She was still unsure as to why there had been no visitor from the village from her Mum's family other than poor Cousin John who had failed to gain custody of Trelawney on behalf of their grandfather. Uncle David had seemed very sure that someone else would be out, but for the time being, there was only Aunt Henrietta. Oddly, she had been recently keeping her distance. It was a rather peculiar situation, but she decided not to think about it too much. She was grateful that she was left in peace.

Pastor Jason was always present in their lives, but he never hovered. She appreciated that. Once the trip to Sacramento was over, he disappeared back into his own life. Of course, he had his own very active ministry in his church to tend to, as well as his wife and children. Still, it was good to know that he was always available to help them at a moment's notice. But the fact that they had been able to go a full month without any further crisis was in and of itself wonderful.

Trelawney was excited about the impending visit because Sylvia would be present for her performance as Laura in "The Glass Menagerie." The play was her good friend Mike Lenihan's directorial debut. Phoebe had been amazed by the cleverness his casting choices, but he quietly explained that with kids who were the age of Trelawney and Francine, who was cast as Amanda, a certain amount of type-casting was always involved to insure believable performances.

Friends and family might see the girls playing themselves to a large extent, but those who didn't know them would be impressed by their grasp of the characters. Mike was a smart young man. Although he didn't achieve his dream of Juilliard, he had been accepted into the very fine drama programs at Yale and NYU. He was hoping for a scholarship from one of them. This project would hopefully impress one of the schools. In fact an alumnus of the Tisch School at NYU planned to attend a performance.

**The Circus**

Mike's mother Lois had not seen much of Phoebe Everett in the past few weeks, but she ran into her one Saturday morning when she was dropping Francine and Trelawney off at the community theatre. She was quite obviously blossoming with child. She looked happy and content. Mike had told her that Trelawney's custody had been officially decided. All three of the other children were thriving. She decided to invite her out for tea while the girls were at play practice. The younger woman happily accepted.

"I can't tell you how grateful we are that you managed to get Trelawney into Our Lady of Mercy," she said. "She would have been very disappointed if she had not been accepted."

"I could tell that just from talking with her," replied Lois. "I didn't think that it was really fair of them to count her public school issues against her. One of the reasons why you were looking at other schools was because it didn't work out. Fr. Bob was very effective at explaining that to them."

"But Fr. Bob told me that you were also a very big help," answered Phoebe.

Lois smiled. "It was actually fun throwing my weight around. After all, I have no daughters myself and I have been a generous donor over the years. The very least that they could do was accept a girl that I was sponsoring."

"And they took Francine as well," commented Phoebe. "Mrs. Fowler seems to be very eager to get her away from the boys."

"Francine is a good girl," said Lois. "She doesn't want their attention any more than her mother does. I also believe that she was strongly motivated by Trelawney. Mike has the impression that she still wants to stay close to her to protect her. But now Sarah Tucker feels left out."

"Yes, I know," replied Phoebe. "Janet told me that she is very upset that her two best friends are leaving her behind in public school. But with six kids and Topher only one year out of college they just can't swing the finances."

"Oh, I suspect that Topher will get a scholarship to MIT or some place of that caliber," she said. "Unlike Mike, he not only has brains and talent, there is real financial need. Especially since the twins are right behind him."

"I thought that Mike had someone from NYU coming to see the play," said Phoebe. "And he's hoping for a scholarship that way."

"Well," said Lois. "If Mike senior weren't such a skinflint where his kids are concerned, Mike junior wouldn't need a scholarship. Mike thinks that the boy should just go to UCLA so that he can get instate tuition and go practically for free."

"But if he wants to be in or near New York City for the acting possibilities," said Phoebe. "I would think that there are just as many acting opportunities, if not more, in LA."

"The New York stage has always been his dream," she replied. "But his dream is my ex-husband's nightmare. He is horrified that his son wants to be an actor. And his latest little cutie is egging him on."

"Oh dear!" said Phoebe. "I would think that he would be proud to have such a talented son."

"No, he's not," said Lois grimly. "And the worst of it is that we have no recourse. He is still smarting over the community property division that gives me half the assets plus child support. He has no legal obligation to put the boys through college. In fact once they're eighteen, to quote him they are 'off the gravy train.' And I can't swing either of those east coast schools on my own."

"That's terrible!" exclaimed Phoebe. "Doesn't he at least feel some kind of moral obligation to help them out?"

"Honey, you are too good to be true," replied Lois bitterly. "If that man had any kind of moral conscience then he wouldn't have divorced me so that he could indulge in the flavor of the month whenever he wants. It's not as if he is hurting for cash either. The way he drives around in his new red convertible you would think that he was trying to relive his teenage years. At his age he looks ridiculous. It would be funny if it weren't so self-centered."

"And self-destructive," added Phoebe. "Doesn't he realize that he is alienating his sons? Not to mention the kind of example he is setting."

"The example is not the problem," she answered. "They've both lost all respect for him. And he knows about the alienation. He blames me for that. If I were more 'hip' then I might realize that I need to go out and have a little more fun. He doesn't seem to realize that someone needs to be the adult in the room."

"I'm really sorry," said Phoebe. "I wish that there was something that I could do to help."

"Well, just lending me your shoulder to cry on is a pretty big help right now," she said. "You look so happy that I hate to ruin your day, but Princess Lotus Blossom, or whatever her name is, is up to her old tricks again. I wanted to give you a heads up."

"Oh dear," said Phoebe. "I knew that her silence was too good to be true."

"Yes, well, she's not exactly been silent. In fact, she's been spreading her nonsense all over town," Lois replied. "Nobody wanted to tell you because we all know how happy you and Trelawney are, but someone needs to. This time she really seems to have gone off the deep end."

"Well now that Trelawney's custody is settled, I can't think of what she could be predicting," said Phoebe. "However Rob has said the same thing about her mental competence. The word he used was 'certifiable.'"

"Sounds about right. Just because Trelawney's custody has been officially granted to Rob and Catherine, does not mean that she is going to give up her premonitions of gloom and doom," said Lois. "Remember that she is not above trying to frighten Trelawney into returning to England of her own free will."

"My sister would never do that," said Phoebe. "She knows that our parents wanted her to be close to me. She will always want to follow through with their desires."

"Do you want to know what she is saying or will it be too upsetting?" said Lois. "Sooner or later you will probably hear it anyway."

Phoebe sighed. "You might as well get it over with. Then I can tell Rob and Catherine and we can consider what to do, if anything, about it. My cousin Sylvia is coming to visit in a few days. At least we'll have reinforcements."

"Cousin Sylvia?" asked Lois.

"Yes, she's Emmeline's older sister. Uncle David wants to see how things are going since my Cousin Lewis was here last month," she replied.

Lois looked surprised. "You certainly have a lot of family."

"Oh yes," said Phoebe nonchalantly. "On both my parents' sides. You probably don't know, but Uncle David alone has six children. And then there are a slew of family friends that we call aunts and uncles, like Uncle Alfred. We've stayed in close contact over the years, in fact over the generations."

"Interesting," she said. "But none of you seem to live near each other."

"Other than those who are settled back in the village," Phoebe replied. "No, we're not. We're always on the go between one place and another. Of course, I'm very happily settled here, as is Trelawney for the time being. It's difficult to think of what will happen in five years when she's ready for college."

"Then, don't," said Lois. "I'm afraid that the premonitions are wackier than ever. There's the old one about the two sisters and the injury to the third party. But now three lives hang in the balance. There's a child who is a threat. And then there's something about a guardian and his fool father. And there's a cousin thrown in for good measure I guess."

"No names?" asked Phoebe.

"Of course not, or timelines. I guess that she doesn't want to get it too wrong," Lois continued. "Finally there's a kind of creepy one about the angel of death and more journeys back and forth between the darkness and the light. But even weirder, she has ranted about a blinding light and the innocent suffering. The elder generation will save the younger. I haven't heard that one myself, but I understand that it is quite 'apocalyptic,' so to speak. Most people think that it's nonsense, but she still has her cohort of true believers."

"Hmm," said Phoebe. "She isn't saying anything more specific than that? That's quite a broad spectrum of nonspecific negative karma. However it is a bit more melodramatic than usual. She doesn't normally predict the end of the world."

"No, is that better or worse than it sounds on the face of it?" asked Lois, now feeling a little more concern.

"It's hard to say," she answered. "Why is everyone so sure that she is talking about my family?"

Lois shifted uncomfortably.

"Most of the time she just spouts this stuff out when she is communing with the other side about someone else," she explained. "It really is bizarre because once she gets started conversing with Rosalie she really does seem to be in a trance. That's when she has these digressions. She also identifies it with the Figalillys. She apparently has been known to rant on about a cosmic conflict with the Trelawneys, plural."

"Rob went to see her once at her request," said Phoebe. "At that point she was 'predicting' the legal challenge, which actually had already been made by my grandfather, her father. She is my mother's sister you know. Trelawney is their maiden name, as well as being my sister's first name. Generally, she is referred to within the family as Trelawney Rose, after my maternal Grandmother Rose."

"Okay, that solves that little mystery. We couldn't figure out if she were trying to tell us that there were multiple girls out there in the time-space continuum," said Lois. "One of her more lucid statements is that dear Meg will never rest in peace until her darling Trelawney Rose is safe at home in the care of Aunt Alma. Both of your parents in fact want her to be back home."

Now it was Phoebe's turn to be silent. Lois watched as the emotions crossed her face. It must be hard to hear that someone was using the memory of your mother to achieve her own ends in such a crazy way.

"A statement that specific is most certainly a ploy," said Phoebe slowly. " I am sure that Grandfather wants her to frighten or emotionally manipulate Trelawney into returning home of her own free will."

"It seems that she is also manipulating your emotions as well," commented Lois.

Phoebe nodded. Lois noticed that her glow had somewhat faded as she contemplated what she had just told her.

"Well, she is famous for speaking without fully thinking through the consequences," replied Phoebe. "Her premonitions are known to go wrong for that very reason. And she doesn't seem realize how transparent her motives are when she is being manipulative."

She looked even more troubled. Lois was sorry that she had told her.

"Phoebe if you want to go home now, I can drive the girls back later," she offered.

"No, thank you," said Phoebe. "Mrs. Fowler is picking them up. But I would like to go home. Butch has a game this afternoon and I need to rest. He would be very disappointed if I wasn't there."

Lois smiled. "I think that it's wonderful that you have such a great relationship with those three kids. Not all stepmothers manage to achieve it. In fact, not all mothers in general."

"I may have an advantage in that I had developed these relationships before there was any thought that I would be their stepmother," she replied. "When Hal and I were finally married, it was after they had been on his back for months just to get me an engagement ring."

"I remember that," said Lois. "And it was certainly fortunate that they were begging him to marry you."

Phoebe now began to smile again and excused herself. Lois felt bad about having to be the one to tell her about all the wackiness, but it could have been worse. In one of her recent séances, Princess Lotus Blossom had given the task to Mrs. Fowler. She couldn't even imagine how tactless that would have been. At least now she was prepared and could shut her down before she got going.

But the whole thing was totally illogical. The "Princess" always referred to Phoebe as "dear Phoebe." Yet she seemed to have no qualms about sending off one of the most merciless busybodies in town to pass along some very upsetting "messages." Phoebe was a young and healthy girl, but she had also had a lot of stress recently. No doubt the doctor wanted her to remain calm for the rest of her pregnancy. It didn't seem fair that now that things were settled with her sister and going well, her aunt was trying to stir up so much trouble.

But at least everyone had seen lot more of her husband around recently. The project that everyone knew that he was working on for NASA seemed to be on the back burner for the time being, and the semester was almost over. Hopefully, he would be able to spend lots of time at home before the baby came. The due date was mid-August, so he would even have a little time at home before the fall semester started up again.

Lois sighed. She hoped that the play would go well and that a scholarship would come through from Tisch. It didn't even have to be a full scholarship, but a few thousand dollars would make Mike's dream possible. She could then swing the rest. She knew that her son would be sorely disappointed if he had to go to UCLA.

But her ex-husband was being impossible. He just couldn't accept that fact that his son was a talented actor and singer with a dream. No, it wasn't an entirely realistic dream, but how many eighteen year olds had realistic dreams? There was plenty of time for him to come back down to earth and face reality. He should be allowed to enjoy his youthful delusions while he could. And who knew? Maybe he would find success on the stage. She could only wonder at how cynical she herself had become.

But just being with young Phoebe was an invigorating tonic. It really did help her to remember the joy of life that she had felt early in her marriage when she was pregnant with her own sons. She suspected that her son Mike got the same feeling from spending time with Trelawney. The very real sweetness and innocence of the two girls, as well as their kind and generous hearts, gave one hope that the world was really not such a bad place after all.

**Victory on the Field**

Phoebe was relieved when she could finally get home and rest. Hal was in his study working on grading his finals. She decided not to interrupt him. The sooner that he was done, the sooner that she would have his undivided attention. She smiled to herself at the thought and Maisie gave her a little kick of agreement. She went upstairs to lie down, but before she could even get comfortable, Prudence was in the room looking woebegone. Tired as she was, she knew that the little girl needed to talk.

"Mommy, can I talk to you about something?" she asked sadly.

"Of course, darling," she said kindly. "What is it that you want to talk about?"

"Mommy," she said. "I really want Nana and Papa to come to my dance recital next week. But Nana says that she can't come."

Phoebe could not help but feel sympathetic, however she also felt a little guilty. She knew that Bernice did not want to attend because she couldn't bear to see her pregnant. But this wasn't something that anyone could explain to Prudence. She wouldn't understand that she was uncomfortable being in the presence of the young woman carrying her former son-in-law's child. And then of course, she would have to look at Hal and his behavior.

Since custody hearing, Hal had made both her and the family a much bigger priority. Whenever they were out together in public, he had his arm protectively around her and would occasionally lay his hand on her stomach. Maisie never failed to reward him with a kick. She knew that his solicitous manner told the world how much he loved her and how happy he was that she was carrying his child. No doubt he had acted the same way with Helen.

Prudence had seen the family come out in force for Hal and Butch's big weekend. She had been disappointed when Ben and Bob were unable to make the show. Sylvia would be there and of course Tom wouldn't miss it, but Bernice was different. Prudence liked it when Bernice told her how much she looked like her "Angel Mommy" as she called Helen. And Helen had gone to dancing school when she was a little girl just like Prudence.

Phoebe thought that it might be because she was pregnant, but she had the impression that Prudence was finally developing a very natural curiosity in the woman, of whom she had no memory, who had given birth to her. Phoebe was pleased, because she knew that as the girl grew older, it was a connection that was important to her emotionally.

Trelawney had always been very sensitive to Prudence's lack of connection with her mother and tried to encourage her to find out more so that she could fill in the gaps. And as always, Trelawney added a touch of whimsy to her encouragement. She would tell Prudence that up in heaven their mothers were friends and were very happy that they were friends. The older girl's patience with her little bout of jealousy earlier in the year had been rewarded when Prudence finally had realized that Trelawney was not and had never been a threat to her own relationship with Phoebe.

"Why can't your Nana come to the recital?" asked Phoebe carefully, wondering what the excuse was that she had given.

"Papa said that she had a previous engagement," explained Prudence. "But I don't understand. She's already married, so why does she need to get engaged?"

Phoebe smiled in spite of herself.

"When someone has an engagement like this," she said. "It means that they already have another commitment. Papa was telling you that Nana was already busy."

"Oh," said Prudence. After thinking for a minute she added, "I'll let you rest now Mommy, I can see that you are very tired."

"Yes, I am honey," she said. Prudence left quietly and Phoebe was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When she woke up, she felt refreshed. She thought of Aunt Henrietta's premonitions, but decided that she wouldn't worry about them. She couldn't possibly take the "instructions" that she had supposedly been given to her by her Mum seriously. They were much too specific to be true. As for the other, it was all just too vague.

Without more information, it was impossible to know to whom she was referring. It did make Phoebe feel a little uneasy to realize that Aunt Henrietta didn't know either. It was also disconcerting that some of her rambling had occurred when she seemed to be in a trance. That meant that there were actually things that might need to be taken seriously. Of course it was all so scatter shot that nothing made any sense at all.

She got up from her bed and went downstairs to make lunch. At that point, she realized how late it was. Hal had returned from his Junior Scientists meeting, and he had made lunch for himself, Prudence and his father. She would just about have enough time to fix a sandwich for herself before they left. Rob, Catherine, and Trelawney were meeting them at the park. It was a big game for Butch's team,

Until this point they had come through the season undefeated. The team that they were playing was also undefeated. It promised to be a very exciting game because both teams were very strong on offense. As a relief pitcher, all that Butch could do was sit on the bench and hope that his skills as a "closer" would be needed in the last innings. He had an excellent record of strikeouts and his ERA was almost non-existent. To top it off, he only rarely walked batter.

The whole family was proud of him, except for maybe Prudence. Of course she probably would have been more proud of him if she didn't have to sit through all of his games. She knew very little about baseball and had no desire to learn more. Trelawney had learned all about the game. Phoebe was still not sure if this was good or bad. When things got tight, her sister would occasionally glance over at her with a mischievous look on her face.

Then the ball would take a funny hop or a star fielder would commit an error. Phoebe tried talking to her about it, but she was incorrigible. However, when a batter on Butch's team had been hit by a pitch, to walk home the winning run, Phoebe took her to task. Trelawney would admit to nothing, but said that it was "unlikely" to happen again. The family appeared to be none the wiser, but her husband had begun to look at her oddly when these occurrences happened.

When they arrived, they discovered that Rob, Catherine, and Trelawney had staked a claim on a lower corner of the bleachers. Phoebe was no longer able to make herself comfortable sitting there, so Hal now packed a folding chair for her. The sun was bright so he also set up an umbrella. One of the advantages to his recent change in attitude was that he was much more thoughtful. Or his mother had pointed it out to him. Catherine was keeping him on a short leash these days, but it didn't seem to bother him. She suspected that he was grateful for her reminders.

The family settled in for a pleasant afternoon in the sun. Phoebe really only had any interest in the game when Butch was playing. However when he was in pitching, she was very nervous. His role was critical in preserving the winning streak. In this game however there were many exciting hits and plays in the field. Both of the starting pitchers were good, but the batters were better. Both teams were playing their best. Each had a lot at stake in terms of bragging rights if they could defeat the other, not to mention that their playoff berths were at stake.

The score was close the whole way through, but after the seventh inning the starting pitcher for Butch's team was tired. The coach pinch hit for him in the eighth, to no avail, and then brought in a mid-game replacement reliever for the bottom of the inning. The team was ahead by two runs, but the coach didn't want to use his closer (Butch) yet. Since they were playing as the "away team," it meant that the other team could always come back in the bottom of the ninth inning to even or better the score. And at that point Butch's team would have no recourse.

However, that pitcher only pitched to three batters. The first two batters each hit a single to put themselves on base at the corners, and then the third hit a home run. During the "at bat" for the third hitter, Trelawney kept looking over at Phoebe. Phoebe knew as well as her sister that the pitcher was "choking." Phoebe looked back at her sternly.

If the coach could read auras the way that they could, he would never have put him in, in the first place. But the coach was not entirely dim. He had had Butch warming up the whole time and by the time the third run had scored and the other team had finished going nuts cheering, Butch was on the mound tossing in the catcher.

One of Butch's strengths, according to Rob and Hal who knew such things, was his high kick in his wind up. All those paper wads he had been pitching into a trash basket for the past year had really improved his technique. He was also not a fastball pitcher, which made his pitches harder to hit deep. Phoebe looked over at Trelawney to see if she was up to her old tricks, but Trelawney just gestured towards the mound and nodded. Butch was calm, cool, collected, and very relaxed. He retired the side with three strikeouts each on a total of nine pitches.

Butch's performance settled his teammates while the other team's big inning had jazzed them up. They were celebrating before they even took the field. Phoebe looked over and could see Trelawney looking very seriously at her hands in her lap. She noticed that they were folded in a gesture of prayer. She then took a deep breath and looked up.

It is times like these when a player shows his true mettle. Batting averages and RBIs are meaningless statistics when the hitter is in a clutch position. Phoebe heard the coach call out to the first batter, "Set the table!"

"What does he mean by that?" Phoebe asked her husband.

"It means that he shouldn't try to win the game all by himself," replied Hal. "They need two runs to win. His most important job now is to get on base. He's a power hitter and a free swinger. If he tries to swing for the fence, he'll probably strike out."

Phoebe understood only about half of that. However, she did get the idea that the coach was trying to take the pressure off. Fortunately, the strategy worked, because the boy hit a double.

"He's in scoring position now!" yelled Rob. "Good job, son!"

The kid paid no attention. He was focused on the batter. The opposing pitcher was rattled and walked him. The winning run was now on base and the pitcher was replaced with a closer.

"Guess the other coach was so excited when they scored that he forgot they still had the ninth inning to come back," commented Rob. "He should have put that kid in to begin with. He's facing the top of the order."

Maybe, but the next batter went down swinging, sending the clean up man to the plate with one out and two on base. It was hard to tell whether it was nerves or overconfidence, but the pitcher threw a wild pitch and the two men on base advanced. Phoebe looked over at Trelawney who shrugged. Now with two men in scoring position and one ball in the count, Butch's coach yelled, "Don't swing for the fence, just hit 'em home!"

Phoebe had no idea of what he was talking about, but cheered with everyone else. The batter took a mighty swing and the ball went sailing into the outfield. She saw the third base coach holding the runners who were hopping up and down as they watched the center fielder chase it down. The ball was about to fall into his glove when he tripped and tumbled forward, head over heels. The batter, who was now practically standing on top of the second base runner, leapt in the air. All the three runners came home, the last one stomping on home plate with both feet.

Amidst the cheering, Phoebe saw Trelawney sweetly smiling and clapping. Butch was up and pitching on the side. The team might be ahead, but he would still have to face three batters in the bottom of the inning to win the game. When the bedlam calmed down, another relief pitcher was called in, but he walked two batters and then struck out the next one. The side had now sent seven men to the plate. One more batter and then Butch was due up.

Knowing that the coach would not want his star reliever batting, the other coach signaled that his pitcher intentionally walk the man at the plate. But Butch's coach decided that he would not send in a pinch hitter and then have to pull Butch out. Even though Butch had almost never batted in games all season, he found himself at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.

Phoebe held her breath as Butch took a ball and a strike. He then hit the next pitch up the third base line in a sharp line drive. As the ball neatly crossed the bag, the runners were in motion and cleared the bases to score three more runs. The coach held Butch at first. He didn't want him to get too worn out or excited. There were now five "insurance" runs. The next batter flied out and Butch barely had time to catch his breath before running out to the mound.

The family was now watching intensely, including Prudence who at least knew that scoring runs was good so Butch's team was winning. She also knew that Butch would have to pitch to three batters to actually win the game. But in the end he didn't really have to pitch much.

Down by five runs, the other team seemed to have given up. Butch sent them down in order on three pitches. One pop up and two easy grounders were all they could manage. But Phoebe was glad that the excitement was over. She could feel Maisie jumping around with excitement and wanted to walk around to settle her. When the hero of the game was finally able to make his way back to the family, he was greeted with hugs and cheers. Then from behind them, they heard a familiar voice.

"Way to go Butch, old man!" called out Tom Williams. "You just made your Nana and Papa very proud!"

Walking towards them were both Tom and Bernice, she in a large, floppy sunhat. They had apparently been watching the game sight unseen from another corner of the field.

"That's quite a pitching arm you've developed," commented Tom. "And you're a great batter to boot. I bet your Little League team makes the playoffs this year."

"Yeah, I bet they do too, Papa," said Butch. "Why did you come today? How did you know it was a big game?"

"A little birdie told me," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "So I convinced Nana that it was a lovely day for a drive and here we are."

"Congratulations, Butch!" said Bernice. "I'm not a big fan of baseball, but that was very exciting."

"Smart move by the other coach," said Tom. "Walk the stronger hitter to get to the one that he thought was the weakest. He also made Butch bat right before he had to go back out and pitch. I guess that he forgot that Little League isn't like the big leagues. Pitchers down here actually can hit."

But Prudence began to sulk. "It's not fair. You came to Butch's baseball game, but you can't come to my dance recital."

Bernice looked at her with a bit of surprise.

"Do you really want me to come so badly?" she asked.

"Of course," replied Prudence nodding. "You're my Nana and you can tell me if I look like my Angel Mommy or not. I'm going to be one of the little dollies in "Coppelia."

"You are?" she said. "Why that's a beautiful ballet! Your Angel Mommy was in that same show when she was sixteen!"

"She was?" asked Prudence, her eyes wide. "Who did she play?"

"She played 'Coppelia,'" answered Bernice proudly. "I have pictures of her at home that I can show you."

"Can you show me when you come to my show?" asked Prudence hopefully.

They all looked at Bernice. The adults knew that she had said that she was busy because she didn't want to see Phoebe. But she was standing here with Phoebe now. If it was difficult for her to look at her, no one noticed. Although admittedly she had been attempting not to look at her. Still and all, Prudence was making it very clear that she wanted Bernice there. This was a complete turn around from six months ago when she had said that she never wanted to see her again.

"Yes," she finally said. "I believe that I can switch a few dates around only calendar."

Prudence rewarded her with a brilliant smile and a big hug. Phoebe noticed the tears in Bernice's eyes and the look that she gave Tom over the little girl's head. She seemed to be mouthing the words, "Thank you."

"Why it's little Trelawney!" said Tom with his usual greeting as he noticed the girl standing by as unobtrusively as possible.

"Yes, it is," replied the girl, her eyes full of mischief.

Although Phoebe couldn't be sure, she was almost positive that a conspiratorial glance passed between the two of them. She had no doubt that Tom's "little birdie" was none other than her sister. It occurred to her that, after Prudence had shared her disappointment with her, she had told the older girl.

Trelawney was perfectly capable of making the call and suggesting the little ploy. Tom would get to see the game and there would be the possibility that Bernice would discover that seeing Phoebe wasn't as difficult as she had thought. And if she did, well, they could have easily left without being noticed. But something told Phoebe that Trelawney knew better.

Now Tom and Trelawney were talking. Before she knew it, he was promising that in addition to coming up for Prudence's dance recital, they would be there for the play a week later.

"Three weeks in a row!" she said cheerfully. "Fancy that!"

"Yes, fancy that!" repeated Bernice.

Then she turned to Phoebe. "Congratulations! You're looking quite well!"

"Yes, if you don't mind that I've put up at least thirty pounds so far," she grimaced.

"So tell me," asked Bernice with a bit of mischief in her own voice. "Has Hal been plaguing you with words of wisdom and advice from the 'what to expect' book?"

"As a matter of fact he has," she replied as Hal looked away sheepishly.

"Oh, you would think that he would have learned his lesson," replied Bernice. "He drove Helen crazy with all that nonsense when she was pregnant with Hal."

"Really?" said Phoebe with emphasis.

"Well, son," said Catherine, echoing his own words from the science fair last month. "Now it looks like you have one more of us to deal with."

Despite the reproachful look he gave his mother, Phoebe knew that Hal was happy that Bernice had made a further step in her journey towards fully accepting her. Trelawney was looking very pleased with herself. Prudence was oblivious to the undercurrents of adult tensions. She was a very happy little girl.

Next week, her Nana would see her dancing in the same ballet that her own Mommy had danced in as a girl. And, as an added bonus, she would get to see the pictures of Helen dressed up as Coppelia. Everyone would make a fuss about how much she looked like her Angel Mommy and she would have her own moment to garner all of the attention.

However, as usual Phoebe had to be the party pooper. She was tired and wanted to go home and put her feet up. Then Catherime and Trelawney announced that they were preparing a victory dinner at their house and that everyone was invited, including the Williams.

"Are you sure there will be enough?" asked Bernice.

"Of course there will be," answered Catherine. "Trelawney insisted that we make enough for an army."

"How did you know that it was going to be a victory dinner?" asked Butch suspiciously.

"Because I knew that you were such an excellent pitcher that you would save the day," she replied impishly. "And I thought that we might have a couple of extras as well."

Walking back to the cars, Phoebe pulled Trelawney aside.

"Are you sure that you weren't the one who saved the day?" she asked.

"Well, I may have made a wee little phone call to Mr. Williams," she admitted.

"That's not what I mean," replied Phoebe sternly.

"Now Phoebe," she said. "The victory wouldn't have meant anything at all if Butch hadn't done it by himself. He always has been a very good pull hitter, you know. You don't think that I can go to every one of his bloody games then, do you?"

"Well I don't know," she said.

Trelawney giggled. "Do you know that you sound just like the Professor did last year?"

Phoebe looked into her sparkling blue eyes and realized that she was right. And of course none of them were capable of manipulating events to that degree. However she had only admitted to not helping Butch. As usual, she wouldn't lie. Phoebe decided not to spoil her fun by asking about the tumble by the outfielder and the wild pitch.

And she had to be proud of her little sister for the small kindnesses and generosity that she gave to her adopted family. Inviting Tom Williams to bring Bernice to the game was a stroke of genius. By doing so, she had made both Butch and Prudence very happy, and truth be told, Hal and her. But then it became clear. The girl shared not only her Mum's beautiful face, but also her kind and loving heart.

As the girl skipped off to catch up with Catherine, she felt Maisie move. Maisie seemed to be telling her to love Trelawney as she was. Hal had returned back and put his arm around her so that he could walk her to the car. Out of habit, he put his hand on her stomach and was rewarded with a very solid kick. She smiled and gratefully leaned on him. The afternoon had been thrilling in more ways than one. It had almost made her forget Lois's words of warning about Aunt Henrietta, almost, but not quite.

**Cousin Sylvia**

Sylvia Figalilly was David's middle daughter. Like all Figalilly women she had blonde, blue eyes, and a delicate build. She also shared their strength of will and character. And she was a world traveler, never staying very long in one place. Ask her where she was going next or where she had just come from and she would very adroitly change the subject. Sylvia was just as mysterious as Emmeline when it came to her comings and goings. She arrived a couple of days before Trelawney's birthday, which happened to coincide with Prudence's dance recital.

Because it was Prudence's big afternoon, Trelawney wanted no fuss or muss for herself. Reluctantly, Catherine agreed to put off her own little celebration until Sunday. But Trelawney didn't really care about the date and Prudence certainly did. Following the show everyone, including the Williams would return to their house for a celebration of Prudence's first "real ballet."

In earlier years, recitals had been a hodgepodge of dance numbers by different classes. This new school was also the one that Francine and Trelawney went to. However since they were both in the play, they had begged off the recital. Therefore, it would truly be Prudence's turn in the spotlight.

Rob made his usual roundtrip to LAX to get Sylvia on Wednesday. When she arrived at the house, she had one large crate in tow. She asked Rob to get it quickly out of sight before Trelawney saw it and to put it out of their minds.

"Is it a birthday gift?" asked Catherine, after she was introduced.

"No," replied Sylvia. "It's something for Phoebe, a bequest from her Mum that Dad knew that she would want to have. There are many things in the house that she and Trelawney will want, but this is something that she shouldn't have to wait for."

"Well it certainly is heavy enough," grumbled Rob.

"Yes indeed," answered the young woman. "But it is also something that I would not have trusted to the post."

"When will you give it to her?" asked Catherine, now curious.

"At Trelawney's little birthday celebration," she said. "Trelawney will get as much joy out of seeing Phoebe's pleasure at receiving it as she would if it were a gift to herself. Those such as Trelawney are like that, you know. But I also have a bequest for the little one as well. She doesn't take much to store-bought things."

"Yes," said Rob. "We have found that out. The only thing that she really enjoys that we buy her, are books."

"That makes sense," nodded Sylvia. "She is a little bookworm."

"Cousin Sylvia!" called a voice from the top of stairs. "You're here! You're here! You're finally here!"

Trelawney came racing down with the little Corgi Elspeth at her side. She literally threw herself into Sylvia's waiting arms.

"There, there, little love," said Sylvia softly. "We've missed you then. Last time we saw you, you were a sad little mite."

But Trelawney didn't answer; she just snuggled closer in her arms. Sylvia seemed to have Emmeline's cool reserve, but was much more affectionate towards the child. Catherine could see that once again, the Figalillys were very protective of the girl. It was no wonder that it had been such a big deal when David had turned over custody to them.

"So, love," asked Sylvia. "When will we be seeing your Phoebe?"

"Soon, I think," replied Trelawney. "She had one of her doctor's checkups this morning and the Professor drove her. She is quite large now."

"Well, it's less than three months until the babe comes along," said Sylvia." I suppose that you're helping her to get ready."

"Oh, yes, Sylvia," said Trelawney. "Poor Phoebe has been nesting for the past few days. The Professor and I have helped her clean the house from top to bottom. And the nursery is ready too."

"Well, that's lovely," said her cousin. "Your Mum always said that she could never get along without you in the house."

Trelawney bowed her head a little. Then she picked up Sylvia's hand and said that she would take her to her room. Sylvia gave Rob and Catherine a smile and followed the girl up the stairs, bag in hand.

"Well she's a lovely girl," commented Catherine. "She looks more like Trelawney than she does Emmeline."

"Yes, she does," agreed Rob. "She's a bit warmer than Emmeline too. She wanted to know all about the girls, especially Phoebe. But whereas Emmeline is always very businesslike, Sylvia is gentler. She's worried about the effects of Aunt Henrietta's premonitions on her."

"Well, I am too," said Catherine. "I really wish that Lois hadn't told her. She really should have told us first."

"I believe that the alternative was that Mrs. Fowler would have told her," said Rob. "Apparently a lot of people in town know."

"Yes," said Catherine. "We probably should have told Phoebe a while ago, but it's just so difficult to find the right moment."

"Then it is good that Lois told her," said Rob practically. "But Sylvia knows about all them too. Aunt Henrietta has been telling all to Grandfather Trelawney and he has been chastising David for not heeding the warnings. David told Sylvia everything before she left."

"Do they have any insight into what they're about?" asked Catherine.

"Not really," replied Rob. "Just as Phoebe said, they're much too nonspecific. However when David was here, she warned him about William and Emmeline. He told Sylvia that Aunt Henrietta had said that William's temper would get him into trouble and Emmeline would come to a bad end. It's no wonder that he was so upset when he returned from their little 'chat.'"

"It wouldn't be the first time that someone's temper got them in trouble," commented Catherine. "But I suppose that the part about Emmeline could be disturbing."

"Undoubtedly," answered Rob. "Even though she's a _bona fide_ nutcase, I'd be bothered if she talked about one of our boys that way."

Catherine nodded. "At least we don't have to get into that right away. When Phoebe and Hal get back from the doctor, I'm sure that that will be the focus of our conversation."

"I'm sure it will," smiled Rob. "I'm sure that everything is fine. Phoebe looks wonderful and the baby is certainly active enough."

Catherine agreed and went off to prepare things for lunch. Phoebe and Hal would there soon, no doubt with lots of good news. She knew that Sylvia was probably tired from her long trip, but that she and Trelawney were upstairs exchanging family gossip. Once again she had a full house, and she enjoyed it.

When Phoebe and Hal came in, there were more hugs and kisses to be passed around. Sylvia had a hearty greeting for her new cousin, but of course everyone was most interested in what the doctor had to say.

"He said that I'm doing splendidly," said Phoebe. "However he does recommend that I not eat quite so much. I've still got a ways to go and I've already put on enough weight."

"Not much that you can do about it now, dear," said Hal, teasingly. "It just means that there's more of you to love."

"Yes, well," said Phoebe. "The doctor and I did have a bit of a disagreement."

"About what?" asked Trelawney, her eyes twinkling.

"Well, I know that in America it is customary for mothers to give birth in hospital," she replied. "But I had not realized that a home birth with a midwife would be such a problem. Trelawney was born at home you know."

There was silence among the Everetts.

"What exactly did the doctor say to that?" asked Rob slowly.

"He said that he would not be responsible for a home birth," said Phoebe. "I don't know what all the fuss is all about."

"Well, love," said Sylvia. "I believe that these Yanks don't quite understand that one only goes to hospital when one is sick. Giving birth is not a sickness. I suppose that he would also want to give you something for the pain."

"That's right," said Phoebe. "It's something that a midwife couldn't do. But old Mrs. Pengally always said that the birthing would take longer with drugs. A mother would push harder if she could really feel the contractions."

"Oh, you do!" affirmed Catherine. "When I gave birth to the boys, I didn't have anything for the pain. Once things got started, I couldn't wait to be done."

"But you did go to the maternity hospital," commented Rob.

"Yes, I did," answered Catherine. "But it was mostly because I didn't want the mess at home."

"Well," said Phoebe. "I would be willing to compromise on that one. Provided of course that Hal will be there. Apparently he wasn't present for the births of any of the other three children."

Hal looked uncomfortable at the suggestion.

Rob laughed. "Well, he was probably out in the waiting room pacing like any other good American father."

"Including yourself," added Catherine.

"Can I be there?" asked Trelawney. "If we were back home I would be old enough."

"I can ask," said Phoebe doubtfully. "But I don't think that the doctor will agree."

Trelawney disappointed.

"Why don't we call it quits on this conversation?" suggested Rob. "Catherine has lunch ready and this is not exactly mealtime conversation."

"In the village it is," giggled Trelawney. "You Yanks sure are squeamish."

"Yes, we are," said Rob. "And unless you want to eat lunch in your room all by yourself, you'll respect our squeamishness."

But Trelawney just laughed and led the way into the kitchen. The lunchtime conversation was much more conducive to good appetite. Catherine had to admit, that she was amused by both her husband and her son. She could only guess that Hal's "what to expect" book had not told him to expect this.

She could understand Phoebe's desire to have her husband present and that she was unbothered by the idea that Trelawney might be there too. In fact if her grandson Hal wanted to be present (and she sincerely doubted that he would), he would also be welcome, as would she and Rob.

However it wasn't really that easy to know how the hospital might react. Of course if Phoebe refused anesthesia, she had no doubt that they wouldn't care. Since she had been present for home births already, she certainly knew what to expect. She herself had read about the "natural childbirth" craze. It was based on the premise that drugs slowed down the birth process and that was potentially more harmful to the baby than the mother feeling the pain.

As for home birth idea, well, she had to agree with the doctor, but for different reasons. Back in Phoebe's village where home births were the norm, it was certainly not that dangerous. But here in America where doctors, nurses, and midwives had no experience with the practice.

There were more things that could go wrong, because they weren't experienced and prepared. But she could talk to Phoebe about that. However, she would talk to her son about being present. It seemed to her that he had only been too eager to do his part on the other end of the process.

It would do him good to hold his wife's hand and coach her through the labor and birth. They now had childbirth classes where new parents could learn all about their roles. She knew that it would mean the world to Phoebe to have him at her side, just as her Papa had been at her Mum's side when Trelawney was born. She also had a feeling that, once he got over the initial shock, he would probably begin to look forward to it.

**The Little Dancer**

Hal had to admit that he was pretty pleased with the way that life was going. Trelawney had been accepted into Our Lady of Mercy Academy, so she was set with a school for the fall. And Francine would be going with her. Once again she would be spending her summer at the community theatre program. Prudence had her big dance recital coming up on Saturday and was overjoyed that Bernice was coming. She was going to be spending her summer days at Brownie Day Camp.

Butch's life revolved around baseball. This was really useful because it gave him leverage with regard to his grades and school behavior. His summer would once again revolve around Little League. Hal was very happy in his science program, and his opportunity to spend eight weeks at Cal Tech. And he had his own good news.

Just yesterday, his department chair had given him the official word that his sabbatical had been approved for the fall semester. For the next seven and a half months, he would be free to focus on his wife and new baby. He still had the NASA project to worry about, but with nothing else to distract him, they would be able to make good progress while he spent more time at home.

He was now wondering when he would make his own big announcement. Fortunately, his son Hal solved that for him. On the night that Sylvia arrived, he and Phoebe were in bed reading when Hal came in.

"Mom, Dad," he said. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure, son," he answered. "Grab a seat."

Hal sat down on the foot of the bed and said, "I'm worried about something."

"What is that?" he asked.

"Well," he said. "I was just looking at the calendar and I noticed that I'm going to be away at Cal Tech when Mom has the baby."

"That's alright, Hal," said Phoebe. "We can call you once she's born."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "It's just that I do a lot of the work around here now. Butch and Prudence can do some of it, but some of it is too hard for them."

"I know," said Hal. "I was planning on taking up the slack."

"But won't you have a lot to do, Dad?" asked Hal. "You know, between the project and getting ready for the school year?"

"Hal, you are a wonderful son to care so much about your family," said Phoebe. "But this is a very important opportunity for you. We don't want you to miss out on anything or worry about us. We can manage here without you."

"Yeah, Mom," he said. "I kind of know that, but it's hard not to worry."

"Well, Hal," he said. "I think that I can set your mind at rest. Now this is something that I haven't even told you yet, Phoebe. In fact I didn't know for sure about it until yesterday, but I applied for and got a sabbatical for the fall semester."

"Oh, Hal, that's wonderful!" said Phoebe, her eyes shining.

"What does that mean, Dad?" asked Hal.

"It means, son," he replied. "That I won't have any teaching or math department stuff to worry about until January. I will be working on the project, but I can set my own hours for that. That means that I'll have a lot of time to spend at home with Mom and the new baby. You can focus on your time at Cal Tech and on starting your first year in high school come September."

"Oh, wow, Dad!" said Hal. "That's really cool! When were you going to tell us?"

"Well, I wasn't sure," he answered. "I didn't want to steal any of Prudence's thunder. But now that you two know, we might as well let the others know without any big announcements."

"Oh, yeah," said Hal. "About Prudence's thunder. Are Butch and I really going to have to sit through that dance recital?"

Phoebe smiled. "Did Prudence attend your big Science Fair? Has she been sitting through all of Butch's baseball games this spring?"

"Yeah," said Hal reluctantly. "But, man, this is different."

"In what way?" she asked drily.

"You know," he said. "It's so . . . girly."

"Girly or not," replied Hal. "You are going to the recital to support your sister and there will be no negotiating. As a family we support each other's endeavors and we're proud of each other. Now all four of your grandparents are coming, and of course, Trelawney and Sylvia. Then we'll celebrate at Grampie's house. Any questions?"

"No sir," replied Hal. "But could you guys be the ones to tell Butch about it? He's going to blow his cork when he finds out."

"No problem," he said. "Send him in."

Butch came in with his head down. Obviously, Hal had told him why his presence was requested in his parents' bedroom. Because he knew that Phoebe was tired, Hal wasted no words.

"So, Butch," he said. "I understand that you do not wish to attend your sister's dance recital on Saturday."

Butch rolled his eyes. "Man, Dad. Why do I have to go to a dumb old dance recital?"

"Do you know how many of your 'dumb old' baseball games that Prudence has been to this spring?" he inquired.

"No, sir," said Butch uncomfortably.

Turning to Phoebe, Hal asked, "How many?"

"All of them," she said.

"Guy, Dad, that's only 'cause you made her," replied Butch.

"I rest my case," said Hal. "You will go to the recital because I am making you. Any questions?"

"No, sir," he said.

"Good, now that we've settled that, go to bed," he answered.

"Yes, sir," he said and left.

The next one to come bouncing in was Prudence.

"Prudence!" said Phoebe. "Why are you still up?"

"Thank you for making Hal and Butch go to my dance recital, Daddy," she said.

"It doesn't bother you that they don't want to go?" asked Hal with a smile.

"Of course not," she said sweetly. "If I have to go to their things, then they have to go to mine. Goodnight, Mommy."

"Goodnight, sweetie," replied Phoebe.

As soon as she was out of earshot, they looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh well," remarked Hal. "At least we're all on the same page. I'm tired. Why don't we turn out the light?"

"Do you want to lock the door first?" asked Phoebe playfully. "Or are you too tired?"

"I'm never too tired to lock the door," he said picking up her tone.

She smiled seductively at him as he locked the door and turned off the light. Purely by his sense of touch he found her waiting arms and fell easily into her embrace. Before she began to kiss him she said what was on her mind.

"I really hate falling asleep alone."

"Me too," he replied, and proceeded to tenderly make love to her before falling asleep with her in his arms.

Me too, he thought when they were done and she was cradled in his arms, remembering those few nights a month ago when she had stayed at his parents' house. Sleeping alone was definitely not conducive to a good night's rest.

_To be continued . . ._


	2. Chapter 2

**Conversation**

On Friday, after she had recovered somewhat from her jet lag, Sylvia sought Catherine out. At the time, Phoebe and Trelawney were playing with the dollhouse. They were both very happy about Hal's sabbatical. Catherine and Rob were pretty happy as well. They were both hopeful that once Hal had spent some real, quality family time with her and the children that he would never allow himself to get so caught up in his work again. In fact, right now, Hal was completing the decoration of Phoebe's old room as the nursery. The wallpapering was done and he was painting the trim.

Despite the fact that Sylvia wanted to spend time with the girls, she also knew that they needed their time alone. Catherine knew that it was their time as well and let them be. And she was pleased to have the opportunity to get to know another Figalilly better. Rob was out at the theatre putting the finishing touches on the toymaker's shop set for the ballet, so they would not be disturbed. Sylvia wanted to talk about Aunt Henrietta.

"She really is bonkers," she said bluntly. "I'd like to avoid her myself, but I have no doubt that she'll be summoning me once she knows that I'm here. Old Lew got off easy, popping in and out before she was even aware that he was in town."

"Yes," replied Catherine. "I guess that he did. Your father told Rob to toss her out of the house if she came by, but I am afraid of what she might say before we got her out the door."

"Well," said Sylvia. "It's clear to me that one way or another, she's decided that Phoebe and Trelawney Rose are going to find out about her messages from the great beyond. I just wish that she'd leave poor Auntie Meg out of it. The very idea that she would want the girls separated is ludicrous. She certainly made enough people back home promise to keep them together."

"That's true, now that I think of it," said Catherine thoughtfully. "And it seems as though every time we turn around, another promise made by another person comes to light."

"Seems that way, doesn't it?" answered Sylvia with a smile. "And it does seem that Auntie Meg anticipated that such issues might occur. Like all of us she was very prescient. But I have noticed that none of the Trelawneys seem to have made any of those kinds of promises."

"Or Grandfather Trelawney has scared them into keeping their mouths shut," replied Catherine. "It's hard to fathom that he is also your grandfather, but you have no trouble standing up to him."

"It's your father's family that counts in our world," she replied with a shrug. "I, we, give Grandfather the respect that's due him as our grandfather, but it's to Dad, as head of the Figalillys that we owe our allegiance and obedience. I know that this will sound archaic to you, but in family matters he basically tells us what to think. Of course not our Christabel anymore, she's married into the Chenowiths. So she's one of them now. You know she's due to have another little nipper in the fall as well."

"No," said Catherine. "We didn't know. I suppose that we've been so caught up in the girls' issues that we haven't thought much about the rest of the family. However, I always look forward to learning more."

Sylvia smiled. "I can guarantee that you'll never learn enough to satisfy your curiosity, if only because there is really just so much to learn. Remember this. You only need to know as much as you need to know at any given time. For the rest of it, let go and let God."

"I'm guessing that you're not an agnostic like Emmeline," commented Catherine drily.

"Humph!" said Sylvia with a touch of scorn. "Emmeline's a cool one, she is. Part of all that rot is about needling Mum and Dad. She thinks that she's so worldly, she does. It's more like arrogance if you ask me. She and Liam are quite a pair, they are. It's good really, that she doesn't have his temper as well."

"We've heard about his temper," said Catherine. "Is it really true that he would kill Cholmondeley if he saw the need?"

"I'm surprised that he hasn't done it all ready," she answered. "We were all home, all six of us when Aunts Agatha and Justine returned. Most of the other family was too. Trelawneys were there as well. Of course Liam's fury was nothing like Grandfather's. I'm surprised that the poor old devil didn't have a stroke on the spot. He's really a bit crazy himself when it comes to Trelawney Rose."

"Lewis told us," replied Catherine. "Could the girl really be your Grandmother Rose come back to life?"

"I don't think so," said Sylvia slowly. "It's really not likely at all. Looks are more genes and coincidence than anything else. When I saw her after not seeing her in over a year I was struck by the growing resemblance with her Mum, God rest her soul. Then again, Auntie Meg knew that she was coming and waited years for her, long before Grandmother Rose passed away, God rest her soul.

"And of course she couldn't be Auntie Meg come back to life despite the even closer resemblance. But there are all sorts of family resemblances. There always are, you know. When they were growing up, there were those who didn't know them that mistook Phoebe and Em for twins. It's just one of those things."

"Yes," said Catherine. "I suppose that it is."

"It's a pity that Aunt Henrietta's premonitions are so full of layers and confusion," said Sylvia. "It makes it all very difficult to sort out."

"And the more difficult it is for us to sort out," added Catherine. "The more stressful it is for Phoebe."

"Yes it is," replied Sylvia. "I have to admit that what concerns me most are the three lives hanging in the balance. Bad luck and bad karma are one thing, but the idea that three may be in mortal danger is quite disturbing."

"And you have no idea of who the three might be?" asked Catherine.

"Do you?" answered Sylvia with a sigh. "It's hard to say if any of those others mentioned elsewhere are overlaps with the three. The ranting and raving are also a source of concern if it's not theatrics. While I don't want to see her making a ruckus, seeing her myself would probably tell us the truth. There's ways of knowing if she's all smoke and mirrors as usual or not. Phoebe or Trelawney Rose would know, but they shouldn't go near her. Who knows what she'd say that would start more trouble?"

"But if it is not the smoke and mirrors," asked Catherine. "Could there be real danger for the girls?"

"It's too hard to say," commented Sylvia. "But I do think that Phoebe has the right idea. It's better if she just puts it out of her mind and allows us to worry about it. It's not good for the baby. Have you told Trelawney Rose anything?"

"No," said Catherine. "And her contact with the outside world is so limited now that chances of her hearing about it are pretty slim."

"Unless she discerns it from your minds," replied Sylvia.

"Yes, well, like Phoebe almost all of her focus is on the baby when she is not thinking about the play," answered Catherine. "The distractions are good. She has finally put on some weight and is beginning to fill out. She doesn't need to start worrying again."

"Yes, poor dear," said Sylvia. "Bit if irony there you know. Trelawney Rose needs to put up more weight; Phoebe needs to take it off. Poor child has had to worry about many things that the average twelve year old doesn't. It's a pity. It would be nice to see her behave more like a child. She concerns herself too much with adult matters. But she does have a heart of gold."

"And I do think that her ability to retreat into her own fantasies helps her to cope," said Catherine. "She may be a little fey, but it does serve to protect her from the storms of life. And it really does make it difficult for others to dislike her."

"But there are those that do," replied Sylvia. "Still, it's mostly those that like to hide behind masks rather than show their true selves. Trelawney Rose's second sight means that she sees past the deception. However it does seem to me that she's been using this for the good recently. Phoebe told me about her role in getting the children's grandmother to first accept her, and then the baby."

"Yes, that is certainly true," said Catherine. "While the rest of us were busy being angry with her because she was so hurtful to Phoebe, Trelawney saw that Bernice was hurting more than anyone. I thought at first that it was odd that she accepted Bernice so uncritically. She is extremely protective of Phoebe."

"Yes," said Sylvia. "But our wise little girl knew that it was best for the whole family, especially Phoebe who felt so guilty, to reconcile the grandmother with the children. Our Trelawney Rose is good through and through. And that kind of goodness in this world is very fragile. To destroy Trelawney Rose would be something akin to destroying goodness itself. That's why we in the family are so protective of her. She is our hope that goodness can endure despite the evils of this world."

"And Aunt Henrietta?"

"Is a silly, old fool at best," replied Sylvia. "And a gullible tool of forces that she does not understand, at worst. She truly loves Phoebe very dearly and means no harm. In fact, in her own pathetic way, she may even think that she's protecting her. But she has no clue as to what she wants to protect her from or that perhaps it might even be her own words."

"Therefore," said Catherine. "To use one of your words, we have quite a "muddle" on our hands."

"Yes, indeed," answered Sylvia with a smile. "But in the end it will unravel itself as these things do when given enough time. And if we keep a sharp lookout for trouble, the premonitions will probably turn out to be nothing more than a nuisance."

"So we go on with our lives, and keep up our guard," said Catherine.

"That's about it," replied Sylvia. "If you stop to think about it, life is full of perils large and small everyday. We can't live every moment in fear."

"So we just let go and let God," said Catherine.

Sylvia smiled. "As our little Trelawney Rose does, at least consciously. It's the nightmares that prey on her sleep that are most worrying. But she hasn't had a bad spell of them in a while. That's an indication that all is changing for the better, but we must not become complacent."

Catherine knew that she was pleased by the present state of things. And she was pleased to know Sylvia. She was the first of Phoebe's relatives that she had met when they were not under some point of duress. Other than being exceptionally wise for her age, she was a perfectly lovely and normal young woman. In that way, she reminded her of Pastor Jason.

**Gifts**

After Sylvia had spoken with Catherine, she went looking for Phoebe. She found her with Trelawney Rose in her room. Trelawney Rose was reading to her and Maisie from a book. If the girl weren't so abnormally cognizant of the child, she might have thought it was charming. But Lewis had told her to be on the watch for the child's connections with the unborn baby.

He had sensed them, but had not had enough time to really explore them. Everything that she had observed so far between the two sisters had confirmed his intuition. There was no doubt in her mind that Trelawney Rose and Maisie recognized each other, knew each other, and were even looking forward to actually meeting each other. While it was something that she would have expected from Trelawney Rose, it was most startling to find it in Phoebe's child who had been conceived with an outsider. This child promised to be most unusual.

There was no doubt that this was a fated child. Emmeline had tried to assure them of that, but with Emmeline you never knew. Dad had also believed it, but still wasn't entirely sure. Trelawney Rose had most certainly been a fated child as well. There were many in the family who believed that Phoebe and Trelawney Rose were both children of light. Everything that Trelawney had said about her parents since they had passed indicated this. But Maisie was another story. She appeared to have a great deal in common with Trelawney Rose.

It was impossible to know. But she had two things for Phoebe that her own Mum had sent her. She asked Phoebe to join her in her room. After she had closed the door, she took out the smallish, flat box.

"What is this?" asked Phoebe.

"Open it and see," replied Sylvia. "Mum sent it along because she knew that you would want it."

Smiling, Phoebe opened the box. She caught her breath as she pulled out the beautiful white gown.

"It's the christening gown!" she said, her voice full of emotion. "It's the dress that Grandmother Rose made for me. The last time I saw it was when Trelawney Rose wore it nearly twelve years ago."

She cradled it in her arms, sat down on the bed, and wept. Sylvia knew that there was nothing that she could say or do to comfort her. Sitting beside her, she put her arm around her and let her cry. Mum had known that it would be painful for her to see it, but Auntie Meg had once told Mum that she had promised Grandmother Rose that she would be sure that her granddaughters, as well as her daughters, wore it. Mum had known that Auntie herself had planned to give it to Phoebe when her first daughter was born. Since she was aware of the intention, Mum had carried it out.

"Mum knew that Auntie Meg wanted you to have it," answered Sylvia, her own voice full of emotion. "While she of course never promised to give it to you, knowing her intention, she wanted to carry it out. The promise that the granddaughters would wear it was made to Grandmother Rose."

"I don't know if I can ever thank Auntie Anna enough," said Phoebe.

"When I tell her of your tears," replied Sylvia softly. "It will be thanks enough. Today you're crying tears of sadness, because by all that's right and proper, your Mum should have been able to give it to you herself. But when you dress your daughter in it for the christening, they will be tears of joy. Our Grandmother Rose stitched every stitch with love in her heart. We have one as well that Christabel used for our Libby. All our girls are blessed by their great-grandmother when they wear it."

Phoebe nodded, obviously caught without words for such a sacred moment. This was a precious gift, not only from her Mum, but also from her Grandmother Rose. It was another heirloom, like the wedding dress, to be passed down. But Sylvia was not done.

"Phoebe, this is a letter that Mum wrote to you," she said. "She knew that you were far from home with none of the mothers of our kind to talk to. And most certainly Em and I can tell you nothing. Without your own dear Mum to write her own letter to you, she's done it herself. It's all the little things that you will want to know about your child that even your loving Catherine can't tell you."

Phoebe silently held the envelope in her hand. Sylvia got up.

"I'll leave you alone to read it," she said. "But be careful of what you do with it. It would never do for outsiders to learn of this. Someday, you will tell Trelawney Rose what she needs to know."

"Does that mean that Trelawney . . ." she began.

"Only God knows, love," replied Sylvia quietly and left.

After she left the room, she took a deep breath. She had known that Phoebe's reaction would be emotional, but had not been aware of how deeply painful it would be for her to see that dress again. It was a pity, because it meant that she was not yet done with the worst of her grieving. In all probability, she had been so concerned with the girl, her husband, and the baby that she hadn't taken the time that she needed to grieve herself.

She shook herself out of her thoughts when she saw Trelawney Rose in the hall waiting patiently for her. She had a knowing look on her face.

"Phoebe indeed has not done with her grieving," said Trelawney Rose very softly, and then indicated that she wanted her to come into her room.

"So then, you know what that was about?" asked Sylvia when she had closed the door.

Trelawney Rose nodded.

"I know more than any of them," she replied. "But I cannot say. It is not allowed."

Sylvia nodded. Those such as Trelawney Rose must be very careful of what they revealed to others. The simpler the mind, the expansive the knowledge it held. Those such as Trelawney Rose were indeed very intelligent, but if they became too acquainted with modern sorts of knowledge and ways of thinking, they would lose their sense of second sight.

If that happened, her deep connection with the universal consciousness would be lost. It would be a great pity indeed. In a very real way she would lose herself. Her innocence and lack of sophistication was her shield. It was difficult to explain to outsiders, but for her to truly understand the complexity of the outside world, she would have to lose her understanding of the other world, the world of light and darkness.

"My Phoebe is quite sad, you see," she said simply. "When she is with us all, she feels happy. She loves the Professor and the children. She loves the family who now surround her; she is truly one of them. She loves me, and all our relatives. But, my poor sweet, there is a hole in her heart, an emptiness that cannot be filled."

Sylvia looked at her and noticed that the clear blue of her calm aura was deepening to violet, the color of spirituality and inspiration, even as they were speaking. It was very unusual for such a young person to have this deep connection with the spiritual world. As she looked into her sky blue eyes, she could see the wisdom of the ages. This soul had lived many journeys.

"Yes, Sylvia, I have lived many journeys," she said with an ethereal note in her sweet voice. "This may be my last. I am a child of light, and so is Phoebe. Mum and Papa have made their final journey home. They now reside among the angels. There are no more dark nights for them."

"Trelawney Rose, do you know why Aunt Henrietta is here?" asked Sylvia carefully.

"She thinks that she knows why she is here, but she does not know," replied the girl, not answering the question.

"Why does she think that she is here?" asked Sylvia, following her lead.

"She believes that she is here to bring me home to Grandfather," she answered. "He thinks that I am one who I am not."

"Do you know why she is really here?"

"No," said Trelawney Rose, shaking her head. "It is not allowed."

"Do you know of the premonitions, the ones that you are not supposed to know?" asked Sylvia curiously.

"Yes, I do," she said. "Francine told me a long time ago. She is afraid for me."

"Are you afraid?"

"No," she said. "The good queen protects Trelawney. She also protects the lovely lady and the fair maiden. But the brave knight must now do his part. Danger stalks the fair maiden at this very point in time. But fear not, fate has given the brave knight a right path. If he follows it, all will be safe. The wise gentleman knows, but he does not know that he knows. The wise gentleman protects us all."

"Trelawney Rose, why is there no good king in this place?" she asked.

"The good king is here, but he does not know that he is here," she said simply.

Sylvia looked at her and for the first time noticed that she had assumed her posture of wisdom. She was standing very straight, with her hands neatly folded in front of her. Looking at her neatly dressed in her jumper and white blouse, with her hair carefully plaited in two braids she looked any proper English schoolgirl. Her face was relaxed and in repose, her eyes were shining as if she saw things that no one else could see. And then, barely discernible in the purple glow of her aura, for a brief moment, Sylvia saw the twinkling white lights.

But then the girl tossed her head and laughed, very much like herself again.

"Cousin Sylvia," she said sweetly. "May you not tell anyone of my knowledge? It would be most disturbing for my poor Phoebe. And that would make my dear Maisie very sad indeed. We want them to be happy now, don't we?"

"Yes, I promise, little love," she replied instantly. She knew that what she had just seen and heard would disturb her cousin very much. But oddly, on a level that she could in no way understand, she herself felt at peace. And now she knew why Aunt Henrietta wanted her to go home to England. Or at least she thought that she did.

"Yes, you are probably right," said the child nodding. "Poor Aunt Henrietta. She is a silly old faker and means no harm. Would you like to see if Mama Kate has lunch for us?"

"One moment, Trelawney Rose," she said, taking her arm before she could leave.

"Yes, Sylvia?" she inquired.

"May I tell them of the good king?" she asked.

"If you like," she replied. "But it won't matter a bit."

As she went skipping out of the room, Sylvia went over to the rocking chair and sat down to collect herself. Things made more sense now. But the more she knew, the less she understood. And she couldn't even speak of most of what she had just learned. Moreover she could not even be sure about the little white lights. And that was the most important thing of all, perhaps. They must all now be on the lookout for the good king.

**Words from Afar**

Phoebe sat down on the bed in the guest room to read Auntie Anna's letter. She looked at the handwriting on the envelope and was struck, as she always was, by the similarity of her handwriting with her mother's. But that made sense since they had both learned their penmanship at the same school. Like Trelawney's it was soft and curving, like copperplate. Her own penmanship was more angular and less rounded. It was more distinctive and less like the style that she had been taught to imitate in the copybook.

Carefully she slit the envelope open with her fingernail and unfolded the creamy white stationary.

Dear Phoebe,

I have given this letter to Sylvia to hand over directly to your own person. You must be very careful to let no one else read it, not even your dear Trelawney Rose. I know that you have been yearning for your Mum whose joy and duty it should have been to tell you all the little things that a woman of our race, carrying a child should know. As the sister who was closest to your Mum, both in age and spirit, I will now take this duty upon myself. It is a sacred duty. As your little Trelawney Rose is now also without a Mum, it will be your duty, as her older sister, to tell her these things if and when the time comes. But that foreknowledge is only in the mind of God.

I also know that if you had returned to the village and married Cholmondeley, then it would probably have fallen to me to tell you. What I can tell you is only from my own experience, as one who married within our race, and what I have heard about others who have married an outsider. But I have never spoken to such a woman myself. Of what I have heard, the difference is quite simple. If your child is not fated, then your experience will be like that of an ordinary mother.

You will love the child as you carry her close to your heart. You will feel her move when she is active. As the time of birth approaches, you will feel her move less. Do not worry. It is simply that she has less space to move. She will know your voice and probably her father's as well. You will love this child with all your heart and protect her at all costs.

If your child is fated or of pure lineage, then she will feel your emotions and she will respond to them. You will feel her little joys and sorrows. She will try to comfort you when you are sad. She will rejoice when you do as well, and you will feel her movement in response. She will not merely know her father's voice. She will also know his touch. You will feel her kick when she feels his hand upon your belly. You will know no closer bond in your life, until she is born. For after our children are born, they slowly separate themselves from us and grow into their own persons.

You may feel a pang of sadness when this begins to happen and then you will yearn for another child. It is why our families are so big. We bear our children until we are content with the brood around us. Your Mum was different. First she ached for you and then for Trelawney Rose. You are both most desired and loved children. It is why you are both capable of loving so deeply and so many. You learned this from your Mum from the very moment you were conceived.

Many outsiders do not wish to believe this, but we of our race know the truth. When the father plants the seed within the mother, the soul makes its descent to become the living being. Young Trelawney Rose loves as few others. She waited a long time for the moment when she was granted the freedom to break from the heavenly sphere and make her way to your mother.

Meg told me when she was pregnant with the little one that it was different than with you. She believed that it was because she had been desired for so long that she felt the spark of life the instant that she was present within her. From my own experience, I can tell you that I never knew so soon. But she knew that Trelawney Rose was special from that moment. And the child was always aware of what was happening in the world around her. Yes, dear Phoebe, I suspect that even then she was a little fey.

When the time comes for your child to be born into the world, you will know before the pains start. If you are well and healthy, let her be born into your home. She will know the difference between home and hospital. Children of our race who are born in hospital are also more fearful than most. They need the security of the loving home, with their family about them, from the first. They miss the safety of their mother's womb more than the others do.

You saw your own Trelawney Rose born and that was a difficult birth. As old Mrs. Pengally, God rest her soul, said at the time, the little one didn't want to leave your Mum. Now that we know her, we understand why. But your children should come more easily into the world, as mine all did. As you know, those such as Trelawney are very rare indeed. You cannot expect to see another in our family within your lifetime.

Now, Phoebe dear, I have a warning. While you are carrying your child, your senses towards the outside world and connection with the universal consciousness will fade for a time. Your focus will be centered almost entirely on your child. This is how it should be. It is a very dangerous time for you both. You will not be as aware the things around you that could be trouble. Let those that love you, care for you. They will keep you safe if you let them.

Finally, if you feel all the wonderful bonds and emotions that a child of our race feels, then rejoice. But if you do not, remember that it is because she will be like her father, in whom you have chosen to entrust your very body and soul. I hope to meet him some day. He sounds like a very good and loving man. I also hope that when your Uncle David returns for the christening, that I will travel with him.

I miss you and dear Trelawney Rose both. When the time comes for your babe to make her entrance into the world, I know that you will feel your dear Mum and Papa with you. Do not be afraid. They will be the angels by your side, sent by our Father, to guide your little one from within your body to lie in your loving arms.

May God bless you and keep you, my darling niece. I will be praying for you each day.

Love, Your Own Auntie Anna

Phoebe dropped the letter in her lap. She felt limp after having passed through a myriad of emotions as she read the words. Within her, she could feel her child responding as well. The gentle movement was soothing, for now she knew that it was true that the child knew her mind. Her dear Maisie, the child who was named before she was conceived, was indeed a fated child. She rested her hand on her growing belly and felt the little kick in response.

But as the emotions wore off, she suddenly realized that she was hungry. It was time to go down and try not to overeat. It was a pity that she liked food so much.

**The Big Day**

The day of the dance recital had finally arrived and there was not a single person in the family who was not ready for it to be over and done with. Prudence had been talking about it nonstop for more than a week. Hal was pleased that his semester's work was done and he was able to spend more time at home. But more time at home meant more time to listen to Prudence and watch her dancing her little dance over and over. The dance instructor had given her a cassette tape to practice with and she played it so many times, that his son Butch had finally stolen it.

However, he had taken it too late. Prudence had memorized the music so that she could sing the tune it to herself as she danced. And this she did loudly. The only one who had any patience for it was Trelawney. Thankfully she was able to play the tune by ear, so Prudence was able to go up to Mother's house to practice. Mother didn't mind, but Dad thought that he would go out of his mind.

He attempted to bribe Butch into returning the tape, but he couldn't sway his mercenary little heart with any amount of money (he stopped trying at five dollars). Then Hal told him that he had told Butch that he would best any amount of money that Grampie offered by a dollar. Just when he thought that Butch had learned that everything didn't have to have a price, his hopes were dashed. He guessed that that was what he got for naming him after his brother Ben.

On Saturday morning, Prudence was pounding on their door at six am. She wasn't due for her call until one pm, but she didn't want to be late. It was unusual, but this time it was Phoebe who told her to go away and let them sleep. Hal had noticed that Phoebe had been in a funny mood since yesterday afternoon. She seemed to have closed up inside of herself. He would have been more worried, but Trelawney told him to let her be.

"Don't worry, Professor," she had told him. "Since you've been to the doctor she's been thinking on things and missing our Mum. When she is ready to tell you she will."

"Can I do anything for her?" he asked.

She smiled as she always did when he asked for her advice about her sister.

"Love her."

He should have known better than to ask, but in the end decided that it was the best and probably the only advice that she could give. So when they came home that night and the children were asleep in bed, he took her in his arms. She clung to him and he held her close. He could tell that she wasn't looking for passion, but his gentle care. He settled her so that she was comfortably curled up in his arms and softly stroked her hair. He told her the many ways that he loved her until her breathing fell into an even pattern and then he fell asleep himself.

In the morning he was very glad that he had locked the door anyway, because it reduced Prudence's efforts at waking them up to knocking, incessantly, and calling. Fortunately, she also woke up Hal, who told them not to worry. When they got up a few hours later, they discovered that he had given her breakfast and set her down in front of the television to watch the Saturday morning cartoons, a forbidden indulgence.

But when he asked him about it, Hal shrugged and inquired if he would have preferred to hear her practicing. Gratefully, Hal thanked him for his brilliant mind and offered to repay him the six dollars that he had given Butch. But Hal just laughed and said that he didn't do it for money. It was just one of those things that big brothers did. As he walked away, Hal noticed that he looked like he had put on another inch. He was damn proud of the kid and was going to miss him when he went away to Cal Tech in a few weeks.

By 2:15, the family was all seated in the community theatre. They made a formidable presence with the four grandparents, Hal, Butch, Trelawney, Francine, Sylvia, Phoebe, and himself. Bernice had brought a large bouquet of flowers that she planned to present to Prudence after the show. In addition, she carefully carried another small gift in her purse. Despite everyone's curiosity, she refused to say what it was. Hal also noticed that she had taken an extra program and was carefully putting it away. Trelawney asked her about it.

"At home," she explained. "I have a collection of all the programs from all of Helen's dance recitals with a picture of her dressed in her costume. Tom has the little Kodak camera so that we can take a picture of Prudence today. I plan to start another collection of Prudence's recitals."

"What a lovely idea!" said Phoebe. "I am sure that you must treasure them."

"Yes, I do," agreed Bernice. "They've been a great comfort for . . . the past few years. I am very pleased that I will be able to continue the practice with Prudence. In later years, it will give her a sense of continuity with her mother's life."

"Yes, it will," replied Phoebe, thinking of the cradle and the christening gown and the connection that they gave her to her own parents. Catherine had told her that Helen had not appreciated such things, but it was clear that Bernice did. Trelawney caught her eye and sagely nodded.

Hal noticed the glance that passed between them. He had suspected that Trelawney had had something to do with the Williams' appearance at last week's ballgame. Now he was sure of it. It then occurred to him that Trelawney was beginning to use her intuitive gifts for good rather than mischief. He watched as his mother lovingly smoothed back the golden curls that had begun to escape from her ponytail. Mother truly had taken the girl into her heart. He was glad for them both.

Once the ballet began, it was very entertaining to watch. It also had a very definite beginning and ending point. Prudence's previous recitals had been a seemingly endless collection of "numbers" performed by dancers of all ages and in several genres. But this performance was ninety minutes in length. It was even a humorous story. He even once caught Butch laughing in spite of himself.

Prudence did very well. First she had to sit very still in the toymaker's shop and then allow him to pick her up and wind her up to dance. The dance number was then a combination of different dolls dancing at different times as well as together. He could now see why Prudence had wanted to practice so much. She was the youngest "doll" on stage and there was a bit of complex timing involved.

He also suspected that his father's work on the set might have influenced the casting choice. After all, that was how these things generally worked. But Prudence didn't know any better. After seeing Hal and Butch's successes, she wanted to have her own bit of recognition. He was glad that she now had it.

After the show, there were the usual rounds of hugs, kisses, and congratulations. Prudence was delighted by the lovely flowers. Many of the other girls were receiving flowers from their families, so Hal was glad that Bernice had known about the tradition. Prudence would certainly have noticed if she did not have her own bouquet. She then insisted on driving back to Mother's with her Nana and Papa in their car.

Once there, Bernice brought out the picture of Helen dressed as "Coppelia" for her to see. Everyone "oohed" and "aahed" over the pretty costume. Sylvia noted that Helen had the looks of a classic Balanchine ballerina. Bernice was pleased with the comparison. Hal of course, had no idea of what she was talking about.

"Do you have more pictures of my Angel Mommy dressed up as a dancer?" asked Prudence.

"Yes, dear," replied Bernice. "But they are at home."

"Oh," said Prudence, looking disappointed. "Will I ever get to see them?"

"You may see them the next time you visit," promised Bernice. "Now I have a little something for you to remember your first real ballet performance with."

She took the small package from her handbag and carefully placed it in Prudence's hands.

"Be very careful when you unwrap it," she said. "It's very fragile and very special."

Carefully, Prudence undid the wrapping and the ribbon and then opened the box and pulled out an object wrapped in tissue. As she undid the tissue, a beautiful china figure of a ballerina emerged, carefully balanced in a pirouette. Hal noticed a small key on the side. It was a lovely music box, but clearly not a brand new one. With tears in her eyes Bernice explained.

"This is Aurora, from Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Sleeping Beauty," she said softly. "Many years ago, your mother danced in that ballet as a little fairy. It was her first recital. My mother, your great-grandmother, gave her this box to remember it. I have saved it all these years, but I know that she would want you to have it now."

"Thank you, Nana," breathed Prudence. "This is one of the best gifts that I ever got. And I didn't even wish for it, because I didn't know that I wanted it."

Everyone was very moved by the sweet gesture of the grandmother on behalf of the mother. No one knew what to say. But his son Hal decided to break the tension with one of his little jabs at Trelawney.

"Geez, Prudence," he said rolling his eyes. "Now you're really starting to sound like Trelawney."

Everyone laughed, but Bernice said seriously, "Everyone should be so kind and thoughtful as little Trelawney. Could you come here for a minute, child?"

Trelawney walked over and stood in front of her. Gently grasping her shoulders, Bernice gave her a kiss on each cheek.

"Thank you, little one," she said. "You do not know the joy that you have returned to my life."

Trelawney smiled and bowed her head. Hal suspected that she did know.

Later that evening, as he and Phoebe were tucking Prudence into bed, she asked if she could hear the music box play one more time. Sighing, Hal turned the key. It seemed that they now had another endless tune to listen to.

**Wishes**

Catherine insisted that the next day belong to Trelawney. She knew that the child had very generously orchestrated Prudence's big day, the day before. As always, she was impressed by the perceptiveness of the little girl. What had made the day truly special for Prudence was not being the center of attention, but the very real bond that she was beginning to build with the mother she had never known. Bernice was never going to be her own favorite person, but she could see the very positive and healthy role that she was playing in Prudence's life at this time.

Just as Phoebe was becoming absorbed in her own child, Bernice was building a connection with Prudence. Perhaps Prudence would no longer relentlessly pursue Phoebe's attention, now that she had her Nana to shower her with the love and affection that she so desperately wanted and needed. As always, it now seemed, Trelawney seemed to know exactly what was best for all of them. She asked Sylvia about it.

"Yes," replied the younger woman. "This is another sign that our little Trelawney Rose is growing up. In this way, she is very much like Phoebe. One day, a very difficult decision will have to be made with regard to the girl's future. The ability that she is showing to make those things that were wrong with people right is one that is best used by one who roams. But those such as her are more likely to stay at home."

"What do you think will happen?" asked Catherine.

"I cannot say," said Sylvia. "There is no way to know. For now you will love and protect her. The future will take care of itself."

"And Aunt Henrietta?"

"We must keep her away," replied Sylvia gravely. "She does not understand Trelawney Rose one bit. And what she does not understand, she may destroy. There are larger forces at work that she does not understand. They use her ignorance as a weapon."

"Oh," said Catherine. This was nothing new. But Sylvia, after a few minutes of thought, seemed to have made a decision.

"Catherine, Trelawney Rose has added another character to her landscape of archetypes. Phoebe told me that you were the one who made sense of them in the first place."

"Yes," replied Catherine. "I know enough about medieval tales and Carl Jung to understand it."

"Good," she said. "I asked Trelawney Rose why there was no good king in this place."

"Yes, Emmeline told us that back home the good king was her father," answered Catherine.

"Yes," replied Sylvia. "She told me that as well. But when I asked her about it, the girl told me that the good king is here but he does not know that he is here."

"Well that makes sense, if you know Trelawney. It seems that most people are here but they do not know that they are here before they do know that they are here. But it is not Rob," said Catherine. "Rob is the wise gentleman."

"I know that," Sylvia smiled. "She told me. The question now is, who is the good king?"

"I have no idea," said Catherine. "And I know that it is useless to ask. Most of the time, she will use these names and then we must figure them out. In the case of the good queen, she didn't know herself when she first heard of her. And of course I didn't know until she hinted at it. That time for once, my son Hal figured it out."

"Yes, I suppose that that is the way that it is," replied Sylvia. "But the good king is critical to the protection of the fair maiden and the lovely lady. I hope that we can discover who he is before Phoebe gives birth. By the way, she is not giving up on the idea of a home birth. In fact she feels more strongly about it than ever."

"I was afraid of that," sighed Catherine. "Yesterday when she was talking to Bernice, she was hinting around at it. It worries me."

"Why is that?" asked Sylvia. "At home, healthy women give birth in their own beds all the time. Now I know that you all have more technology here, but giving birth doesn't really require a lot of that."

"My concern is with the skill of the doctor involved," replied Catherine. "Since almost no one gives birth at home anymore in this part of the States, I can't think that we could even find someone with enough experience to safely deliver a child."

"Well, I will warn you to start thinking about it," said Sylvia. "She'll not give up on the idea easily.

That's too bad, thought Catherine. Hopefully she won't find anyone who is willing to risk it.

Later in the day, Francine and Sarah arrived for Trelawney's little celebration. Sarah was driven over by Topher, who was also asked to stay. One look from Trelawney and he couldn't say no. In addition, Mike came over with his mother and brother Tim. Tim was there in deference to Butch's wishes. He had been strenuously objecting to two days in a row of family time. And then, as a special surprise, Rob went out to pick up Mr. Just Jim, Mrs. Kaufman, Aunt Lottie, and Mrs. Darmstadt from the nursing home.

Looking around the backyard at the odd collection of guests, Sylvia was amused.

"Leave it to our Trelawney Rose!" she commented. "She's friends with young and old alike. And knowing her, she doesn't see the difference."

"No, she doesn't," said Catherine. "I do feel bad for poor, little Sarah though. Francine and Trelawney will be leaving her behind in public school when they go to Our Lady of Mercy in the fall."

"Why is that?" asked Sylvia curiously.

"As I understand it," replied Catherine. "Lois could get her into the school, but Sarah's parents can't afford the tuition. Topher is off to college in a year and there are twin sisters right behind him, as well as two little girls younger than Sarah. Mr. Tucker makes a good living as a mechanic, but six children are a lot to feed and clothe. The focus now is on Topher. He is going to be the first in his family to go to college. They want all the children college educated, so that's where the money will go."

"What a pity," said Sylvia thoughtfully. "Now you say that the woman Lois is mixed up in all this?"

"Yes, but mixed up in a good way," explained Catherine. "She went to school there. Because she has no daughters of her own, she sponsored Francine and Trelawney. We needed a little bit of influence since the school does not normally accept the girls at eighth grade. Seventh and ninth grade yes, but not eighth. However the situation was such, as you know, that we needed to start her there in the fall."

"And you say that but for the money, Sarah could go too?"

"That's about it," replied Catherine as she walked inside to prepare some hors d'oeuvres. As she left, she didn't notice that Sylvia was making her way over to Lois.

The gift giving was very simple. Rob and the boys had built another bookcase because the one that they had made for Trelawney for Christmas was overflowing and she would be getting more books today. Rob had also made a lovely canopied bed for Tessa complete with bedding sewn by Catherine, Phoebe, and Prudence.

Sylvia's gift was very special. It was the _etui_ that had been Meg's back at home. Trelawney was very moved when she saw it. It looked handcrafted with soft fabric, beautifully embroidered on the outside. Most certainly her mother, who was a gifted seamstress herself, used it everyday. Forgetting everything else, she held it on her lap and gently smoothed the cover.

"Your Mum wanted you to have it, love," Sylvia explained. "She left a letter with Mum expressing those things that she especially wanted you and Phoebe to have for yourselves. Now I have something for Phoebe."

Rob and Hal carefully brought out the heavy crate that she had carried with her from England. Using a hammer, Rob pried the lid off to reveal the tightly packed bedding. Sylvia gingerly lifted out a large item on top and handed it to Phoebe.

"Open it slowly, love," she warned. "It's very delicate."

As the layers of wrap slowly came off, Catherine realized that it was something made of porcelain. Then, when it was completely uncovered, she saw that it was a beautiful blue and white delft teapot. It was exquisitely crafted with scenes of ships and the sea that were clearly hand painted. Phoebe gazed at it, speechless. Trelawney filled in the silence.

"It's Grandmother Figalilly's tea set," she said in wonder. "It has cups and saucers and a creamer and a sugar bowl. There is also a set of silver teaspoons. Mum got it when Grandmother died, because Papa was the oldest son. Everyday when I returned home from school, Mum and I would sit and have tea using it. It's very precious, but Mum said that such a set was not for display but for use."

"Mum and I also had tea with it everyday when I returned home from school," said Phoebe, who had finally found her voice.

"Well, I have never seen anything so lovely," said Mrs. Kaufman. "You're a very lucky girl to have so many beautiful things to pass along from your family."

"Yes, I am," replied Phoebe. "Thank you, Sylvia. Trelawney and I have many happy memories associated with this tea set."

"You should thank Mum and Dad. She gave him the letter of bequests," answered Sylvia. "He knows that your Mum would want you to have these things to enjoy, but with the baby coming it will be a while before you can travel home to collect them."

"Yes, it will," said Phoebe.

Catherine smiled and offered more drinks before dinner. It was a jolly meal. Trelawney was a good sport about everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to her. When they were done with the cake, she went inside with a group who wanted to hear her play the piano.

With Sylvia and Lois's help, Catherine began to clean up. From the kitchen, they could hear Trelawney playing a lighthearted piece by Chopin. Rob, Hal, and the boys had just finished cleaning up the yard, when the music stopped. Suddenly on guard, Sylvia rapidly led the way into the living room.

There with Mrs. Fowler, who must have come to pick up Francine, was Aunt Henrietta. Catherine felt every muscle in her body tense. She saw her son Hal bolt over to sit beside Phoebe on the couch and put his arm around her. Trelawney had stood up from the piano and was calmly facing her aunt.

They made a stark contrast, Aunt Henrietta with her colorful flowing scarves and Trelawney with her simple pink and white dress; the very large and imposing woman, and the small, slender girl; the colorful turban, and the flowing blonde curls held back from her face with a simple pink ribbon. Elspeth had planted herself in front of the girl and was viciously growling. Catherine had never seen the dog look so threatening, even when Cousin John had been there.

"Heel, girl," said Trelawney firmly.

The dog instantly responded, but remained at attention.

"I have birthday greetings from your parents," said Aunt Henrietta dramatically.

Without losing her composure, Trelawney inclined her head.

"Your dearest parents wish you a most happy birthday," she said with a grand sweep of her arm. "But their wish for you is that you return home to your Grandfather Trelawney."

No one said anything. This was no a surprising statement. She had been saying this for months. Trelawney leveled her gaze and waited.

"There is danger here," continued the old woman, now leaning forward and shaking her finger. "Three lives hang in the balance. Beware of the guardian. The child is a threat."

"Says who?" asked Trelawney with more than a touch of defiance in her voice.

"My darling Rosalie," replied Aunt Henrietta, as she drew her arm back and now touched her breast. "Rosalie negotiates the regions of the world on the other side. She imparts this knowledge to me alone. This is the knowledge that will keep my darling Phoebe safe."

Catherine looked across the room. Hal was holding Phoebe close and Topher had moved behind them. He was clearly angry. Trelawney was unmoved.

"Rosalie is a little fool and always has been," she said calmly. "The angels have no truck with her. Please say nothing else. Mr. Everett, I believe that Uncle David told you to toss her out of the house if she popped in. Please do, or I will not be responsible for Elspeth."

The dog growled fiercely. Rob walked over to the door and opened it. For a moment, Aunt Henrietta seemed uncertain, but then, holding her head high, proudly walked out, scarves flowing behind her, followed by Mrs. Fowler and a very reluctant Francine. There was silence in the room.

"Who in the hell is that crazy old broad?" asked Mr. Just Jim, scratching his head. "And who the hell is Rosalie?"

But no one answered him. Trelawney had walked over and knelt before Phoebe. She gently took her hands and looked into her eyes. They seemed to be completely unaware of everyone else in the room. Hal let go and made room for Trelawney to sit beside his wife. Trelawney took his place and within seconds girls were clinging to each other.

Trelawney was holding Phoebe in her arms and softly rocking her. As she did, she gently patted her back and whispered, "There, there," as Phoebe had done for her so many times before. The roles were now clearly reversed. Standing beside her, Catherine heard Sylvia gasp. She looked at the girls but could see nothing.

Courtesy of Aunt Henrietta, the party was now over.

Quietly the others left, but the girls were oblivious. Before he left, Tom Williams looked at them for a long time. Before he left the house, as Bernice was fussing over Prudence, he pulled Catherine aside.

"Let me know if I can do anything," he said in a low voice. "That woman does not know what she is doing. The only threat to Phoebe is she."

Catherine looked at him as she was seeing him for the first time.

"How do you know?"

"I don't know how I know. I only know that I know," he replied, and pulling Bernice away from Prudence, he quickly exited. Catherine looked after them, stunned.

Later, when all the guests had left, she asked Sylvia, "Did the auras merge?"

"Yes," replied Sylvia tensely. "It was different from what Dad saw. It was Trelawney Rose that was strengthening Phoebe. The child has a very powerful aura for one so young."

"Can you explain it?" asked Catherine. "What colors were the auras?"

Sylvia looked at her suspiciously. Catherine realized that she must now know that she had discussed this with Pastor Jason. And she knew that for whatever reason, Pastor Jason did not want to meet any of the Figalillys. However she must have decided to answer her question anyway.

"Phoebe's aura was a dark, cloudy blue. She was very much afraid," she replied. "Trelawney Rose's was a clear yellow, she was projecting confidence and optimism. When they merged a healing clear green emerged, as if Trelawney Rose's clear aura had scrubbed the cloudy blue clear."

"And this was not what your father saw?" asked Catherine.

"No," she said. "Trelawney Rose's was a different kind of fear that time, and Phoebe's was a different kind of strength. But that does not matter now. We must keep Aunt Henrietta away, particularly from Phoebe."

"Why is that?"

"Being pregnant, Phoebe is more sensitive right now," explained Sylvia. "She very conscious of her precious cargo, so to speak, and feels more vulnerable. And emotionally, she is. Her perceptions are skewed by her focus on the wellbeing of her child. Even without a physical threat, her anxiety is out of proportion to the danger."

"Did Aunt Henrietta do any harm?" asked Catherine anxiously.

"Fortunately, no," replied Sylvia. "Trelawney Rose made short work of her, before she could do any. She was not able to say anything new."

"Was this real or theatrics?" asked Catherine. "You said that you could tell the difference."

"No doubt about it, this was theatrics," she said. "Trelawney Rose knew and that was why she was so bold. But once again our little one was wise. She knew that she had to get the old bat out of the house before she could go into an actual trance. Such a thing could be extremely dangerous."

"Oh, dear," said Catherine. "I guess that we have gotten a little complacent."

"You all must be more watchful," she replied. "You don't want to let her to catch you off guard again. Hal needs to be on the alert now also. Just as you need to stay close to Trelawney Rose, he needs to be close to Phoebe. The sabbatical is quite literally, a Godsend."

"How do you know?" she asked.

Sylvia just smiled and shook her head. Catherine sighed as she walked away. As usual she was not going to get all the answers that she wanted. She would tell Hal what she had said about staying close to Phoebe. But she knew that she really didn't have to. The look of fury on his face when he realized the emotional impact of her nonsense on his wife was intense.

It was good that he had let Trelawney come over and calm her, and from what Sylvia had just told her, essentially heal her. Rob had to take him outside to walk off his anger before they could let him take her home. If he were going to effectively guard his wife, he would need to keep his own emotions in check. By the time he came back in, he was under control again and ready to walk Phoebe and the children home.

But the new wild card in the deck appeared to be Topher. She almost felt sorry for Aunt Henrietta if she ran into him again. She knew that Topher had always been very protective of Trelawney, but she had not realized how strongly he felt about her. He also seemed to feel the same way about Phoebe. What he had seen and heard, especially after her grandson Hal had fully explained it, seemed to have really raised his ire. She suspected that he would not let go of his anger easily.

And she was completely bemused by Tom. Since when had he started talking in circles? Normally, he didn't have much to say for himself at all. He let his wife do most of the talking. She knew that she and Rob would have many things to discuss. It was going to be a very long night.

She went upstairs to check on Trelawney. She noticed that the light was on and she was lying in bed with her eyes wide open. After she kissed her good night, the child spoke.

"Mama Kate," she asked. "May you please sit with me until I fall asleep?"

"Yes, sweetheart, of course," she replied and settled herself into the rocking chair.

"Mama Kate?" called the girl.

"Yes, dear?"

"We must find the good king."

_To be continued . . ._


	3. Chapter 3

**Aftermath**

In the aftermath of Aunt Henrietta's performance at his parents' house on the night of Trelawney's birthday celebration, Hal began to make some changes to his daily routine. He really hadn't had one the previous week since he was just coming down off of busy semester. But he knew that if he really wanted to enjoy his sabbatical, he would need to give some kind of structure to his days. He got up early with Phoebe to help her send the children off to school in the morning. He was not very handy in the kitchen, but he was very adept at marshaling them out the door to school.

Then, after the little tidying that needed doing was finished, since the kids did the rest of the chores, he walked her up to Mother's house so that she could spend her morning with Trelawney. He knew that the time was very important to the girls and he wanted to make sure that they had it. He would do work on the NASA project and then go back up the street for lunch. He found that he enjoyed these little meals with his parents, his wife, Trelawney, and Sylvia. It gave him a firsthand view of the dynamic that had developed.

His parents were watchful, but careful to keep the atmosphere in the house light. The center of attention was Phoebe and the baby. She was cosseted and humored by them all, especially Mother. At first he thought that this was because of Aunt Henrietta, but then he realized that this had been going on for a while. For once, she enjoyed the extra attention. As the time was drawing closer towards Trelawney's play there was also some extra activity in the house because Dad, of course, was building the set and Mother and Phoebe were decorating it.

Hal had worried that Aunt Henrietta's nonsense would generate more upset for his wife, but the others were determined that it would not. Having Sylvia present was a very big help. Like Trelawney, she had no respect for the old woman. They were both convinced that she had been "faking it" on Sunday night. Sylvia went so far as to call her a nuisance of the highest order.

He discovered that the women liked to spend their afternoons in the living room talking, reading, or knitting while Trelawney played the piano. He could see that this was a calming time for his wife. By midweek he joked that perhaps he had picked the wrong time for a sabbatical since it appeared that his wife really didn't need him at home. Trelawney tossed her golden curls over her shoulder and laughed.

"Oh, Professor!" she exclaimed. "Of course Phoebe needs you. It's hard to tell when you are always present, but she misses you dreadfully when you are at work for hours and hours. When was the last time that you read a book that wasn't related to your work? We're most happy for you to join us!"

Phoebe smiled at her fondly and his mother patted her head. Sylvia shook her head, but she was still smiling.

"Come join us, Hal," she invited. "I'll be leaving for home after the weekend's performances and I feel as if I have hardly had the chance to talk with you."

Hal was pleased by their attention. He realized that part of his problem was that he was not accustomed to having real leisure time. The honeymoon in Hawaii, which now felt light years away, hadn't counted. Now that he had some extended free time in "normal life," he supposed that he was going to have to learn how to use it. He also truly enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Sylvia.

He had to admit that he preferred her to Emmeline. In many ways, he wished that she were Phoebe's favorite cousin and best friend. Emmeline was much more bossy. She liked to be in control of things and she always thought that she knew best. So far, Sylvia had not shown any inclination to scold. One afternoon, she invited him over to a corner of the room for what she called a "cozy chat." Phoebe smiled and waved him off.

"Well, Hal," said Sylvia after they were seated. "I would ask about your NASA project, but I probably wouldn't understand a bloody thing that you said. Lew tells me that you are quite a good golfer. Do you plan to play much during your sabbatical?"

"Well, I hadn't thought about it," admitted Hal. "I'm not exactly sure of what I thought hat my sabbatical would be about, other than spending lots of time with my wife and new baby."

"Hmm," she replied. "You've got two months until the new baby comes. But the children are done with school in a couple of weeks. I suppose that they will keep you on your toes then."

"Yes, well, Hal will be off to Cal Tech for most of the summer," he said. "Prudence will be at Brownie camp all day. Butch will keep me busy driving him to all of his baseball games. The summer league that he plays in has about half of their games out of town."

"And if Hal's away," she commented. "Then there will be a lot more work to do around the house."

"True . . . Hey! How did you know that?"

"It's obvious," she said clearly amused. "He's the eldest and most reliable. He is a most impressive young man. You must be terribly proud of him."

"Yes, I am," replied Hal. "And when he goes away, I'm really go to miss him, but not because he does the laundry and helps to keep the house clean. He's growing into a fine man."

Sylvia cocked her head and smiled. "I am very glad that I've gotten to meet you now. I got the impression from the others that you were so wrapped up in your career that you didn't have much time to spare for Phoebe and the kids. I'm glad to see that that has changed."

"Well, it's been a long year since the kids chased Cholmondeley off," he said. "We've all had to come a long way, emotionally as much as anything else. Last year, it was a tough summer. I look back at everything that we went through together and dealing with Aunt Henrietta doesn't seem that bad."

Sylvia looked concerned. "She may be crackers, but don't underestimate her ability to cause mischief, intentional or otherwise. And it's really the 'otherwise' that you have to watch out for."

"You don't take her predictions seriously, do you?" he asked.

"They're hardly what I call predictions," she said. "I have to admit that I don't think that we saw one of her actual performances the other night. She may be capable of going into trances and actually spewing forth gibberish from the great beyond. But that wasn't what she was about the other night. She was quite in control of herself."

"But when she is not performing her circus act, so to speak, is she like the oracle at Delphi?" he asked.

"That's as good a parallel as any," she replied. "The Sybil never did make a lick of sense. The problems arose when people took her seriously and tried to interpret her words. Looking into the future and trying to predict what will happen is always a mistake. It leaves out the element of unpredictable human behavior, not to mention free will."

"So what you're saying is to . . ." he began.

"Let go and let God. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," she finished. "You know, when people starting noticing that our Trelawney Rose was a little fey, they would shake their heads and say that Auntie Meg shouldn't have tried to have a child at her age. Do you know what she said?"

"No, I'm not sure that anyone has ever told me," he answered.

"She said that God doesn't make mistakes," she said. "If Trelawney was special then she was blessed to have her. God only entrusts such special children to those He loves the most."

Hal was silent.

"I know that you've had your doubts about the little one," she went on. "But when she most needed a gallant knight, you were there. God entrusted her to you and you accepted. If there's anyone in this world that she loves after her sister, it's you. You'll want to remember that in the future."

"Is that a prediction?" he asked seriously.

"No," she replied in an equally serious tone. "That's a fact. She has been entrusted to Phoebe by her Mum. Phoebe took a vow to guard her and keep her safe, but her betrothed never did. He was unworthy of the duty that would have been his if he had married Phoebe. I thank God everyday that he didn't. He would have destroyed the both of them.

"You knew about that vow when Emmeline brought her here sixteen months ago, and accepted her into your home. You protected her when she reached out to you. But God hasn't let you 'off the hook,' so to speak, by giving her to Catherine and Rob for now. She'll be back in your home when you're ready for her, and quite frankly, when you deserve her. And trust me, she'll be a blessing to you all."

Hal was thoughtful. "I've never looked at it that way before. You make it sound as if I saved her life."

"You did," she said simply.

Hal looked over at the little girl seated at the piano playing Mozart again. Her hair hung down her back in two neat plaits. She was sitting on the piano bench very straight with her hands and wrists at the perfect angle. There was no sheet music in front of her, but she was looking forward with a dreamy expression on her face. Caught up as she was in her playing, she looked very happy. For the first time he realized, that he was at least in part responsible. And that idea certainly gave him food for thought.

**The Builder**

Rob was enjoying his work with the production crew at the community theatre. He was very busy this week as they were making the quick transition on stage from the ballet to Mike's play. There was so much to prepare however, that he found himself finishing up some of the details while the kids were in school. A couple of the boys wanted to ditch school to help him, but he told them that if he ever found out that they had skipped school then they were off the crew. And he meant it. Much as those kids liked being a part of the group, their education had to come first.

Even before they had relocated themselves to be near the family, he had been thinking about what he might do with himself if he was living in town permanently. While he had been working to be the set for the living Nativity last winter, young Fr. Bob, the pastor of St. Peter's Catholic Church had broached the idea that he work as a mentor of sorts with young people in the community. It ended up being the final thing that had sold him on the idea of moving south.

In addition to being a civil engineer, Rob had been an amateur carpenter all his life. He had learned at his father's knee, so to speak. He liked building and working with his hands. When his boys were young, it had been one of his favorite parts of being a scout leader. But in his retirement, his work had been purely recreational. Now he discovered that in addition to sharing his talents with the community, there was a cohort of boys and girls who shared his love of building and needed his help in other ways.

After she had seen his work at St. Peter's, the director of the community theatre, an energetic, "fiftyish" woman named Mrs. Duncan asked if he would be interested in volunteering his talents there.

"I have a group of kids that builds sets for the productions," she explained. "They have a lot of enthusiasm and virtually no skill. Don't get me wrong. I think that they have a lot of untapped potential, but I also think that they need someone to help and to guide them realize it."

When Rob had initially met them to start designing the toymaker's shop for the ballet, they had not been pleased to see him. One of the girls had drawn an elaborate sketch of what she envisioned. When he started to ask them how they might go about constructing it, they clearly had no idea of where to begin. Then the oppositional behavior kicked in.

"I don't see why Mrs. Duncan put you in charge," pouted the teenage artist, a girl named Mandy. "We've been doing just fine without you."

"I'm not sure myself why she asked," answered Rob reasonably. "But I'm just here to help. That's a beautiful picture that you've drawn."

"Thank you," she replied, somewhat mollified.

"When you drew it, did you think about how it could be built?" he asked.

"That's not her job," put in another teenager named Rick, with an edge in his voice. "She's the artist, and me and Vinny figure out how to build it."

"I'm sorry," said Rob mildly. "I didn't mean to ask the wrong person. How would you go about building it?"

Rick took the sketch that Mandy handed him and with Vinny looking over his shoulder, tried to make sense of it. He looked up, and admitted,

"I have no idea."

Before he could lose them, Rob said, "Well it sounds like you've worked together before. How have you started in the past?"

Once again there was silence. Rob suspected that in the past they had just looked at the picture and started hammering. Mrs. Duncan had told him that it was not unusual for the sets to fall apart once put into use, or just look pretty shabby. But the picture told Rob that Mandy was a talented artist. And the way that Rick had jumped to her defense told him that the group was tight knit. These were both qualities that he could work with.

"I have an idea," he said. "Why don't we walk up the street to that little ice cream stand. I'll treat you all to cones and we can sit down at one of the picnic tables and figure this out together."

Just as he suspected, teenagers had not changed much in the thirty years or so since he was a scout leader. Free food was always a good ice-breaker. Within a half hour, the kids were eating ice cream and they had the drawing on the table so they all could see it.

"Now the place to start with this, is by looking at the larger structure and then adding the details," he explained. Turning to Mandy he said, "Honey, do you want to take out your sketchbook?"

Seeing that he was not going to try to take over, Mandy pulled out the book.

"Okay, boys," he said. "Let's take this picture apart and figure it out."

As the other kids pointed out the structure of the building and where the windows and doors went, a picture emerged of an empty room. Then, patiently, Rob showed them how to separately create other drawings for the various walls. Before they knew it, it was getting dark and they had to go home.

"We need to stop," he said. "I'm sure that you all have homework to do."

"But we're not done," complained Rick. "This is just getting good."

"We can pick up tomorrow," said Rob. "We have to do the next part on stage anyway. Bring your tape measures so that we can get an idea of the dimensions of the space that we have to work in. Mandy, bring a ruler so that you can draw a blueprint to scale."

"Wow!" said one of the other girls. "That sounds intense."

"It is," said Rob. "But if you want to build something and have it stay standing, you need to start out with good plans. The better and more detailed the plans, the faster the construction will go."

"Do you want to keep these?" asked Mandy, holding out the sketches.

"No, it's your project," he said. "You might have some ideas that you want to add in later."

She looked pleased by his vote of confidence.

When the other kids had left, Rick and Vinny stayed behind.

"Sir," said Rick. "I apologize if I was rude earlier."

"I wouldn't say that you were rude," said Rob mildly. "A little bit more defensive than necessary. But no, I wouldn't say rude."

"You see," he continued. "Me and Vinny, well, at school everyone thinks that we're, you know, kind of stupid."

"Why is that?" he asked, surprised. "Just now I saw some very intelligent problem solving going on."

"Yeah, well, when it comes to, you know, school subjects, well, no one is ever going to call us intelligent," he replied.

Rob didn't know what to say. But after a minute of consideration, he began.

"Son, I believe that you may be so protective of your 'turf' so to speak, because this is where you feel as if you are successful," he said.

"Something like that," he admitted.

"Well for the record, I think that you and your friends are going to do a great job on this set," said Rob. "And along the way, you might pick up a few handy skills that will serve you well later in life."

"Do you really think so?" asked Rick. "My Dad says that this is a waste of time."

"Why does he say that?"

"Well, you see, he thinks that if I just cracked the books a little more then I could be a genius like him," he replied.

"How do you know that he's a genius?" Rob asked.

"Well, he is a history professor at the university," said Rick. "Do you really think that what we're doing here could, um, be useful?"

"I know so," said Rob with a smile. "I have an old friend who didn't take much to book learning himself back in the day. But he could work with his hands and had a great life doing what he loved to do."

"I'd like to meet that guy sometime," said Vinny, finally speaking for himself.

"I'll take you over to Montclaire sometime," promised Rob. "The guy's name is Jim. He may be an old guy, but he says what he means and means what he says. He's one of the smartest guys I know."

"Did he go to college?" asked Vinny suspiciously. "My Dad says that if you want to be smart then you have to go to college."

"And what department does he teach in at the university?" Rob asked.

"Sociology . . . Hey! How'd you know that?" asked Vinny.

"Just a wild guess son. But to answer your original question, no, Jim never went to college. But he ran a successful business for himself and married his sweetheart," replied Rob. "You know not all smart people go to college. In fact in my day, I've met an awful lot of fools there."

The boys looked confused.

"I'll leave you two to think on that," he said with a smile.

Remembering that first day, Rob smiled to himself. All the kids involved in the group were social outcasts of one kind or another at the high school, and many were not living up to their parents' expectations. They were just great, hardworking kids who wanted to be appreciated for who they were.

There was a set design and stage crew up there, but these kids didn't feel welcome. They thought that the other kids looked down on them because they weren't honors students. Rob christened them the community theatre production crew (because he knew that it sounded more professional than the stage crew), and they set about putting Mandy's vision into a very professional looking set.

The kids were all handy enough with tools or paintbrushes, but none of them had really been taught to use them properly. He decided that he would help them to understand that attention to the details and careful work would help them to achieve the professional outcome that they wanted. He brought in Jim a couple of times and they liked him a lot, even if he did threaten to knock their heads together if they started fooling around.

But Jim respected them and they respected him. He didn't treat them like kids, but instead like they were his employees from his days working as a contractor. If they complained, he told them that "if you can't stand the heat, you better get out of the kitchen." Once they could see the differences that his scolding was beginning to show in the final product, they held themselves accountable to the standard. A few of the boys started calling him "Pops," much to his delight.

Everyone had been very impressed with the "Coppelia" set. Originally Mrs. Duncan had been worried because the toymaker's shop was taking up so much of their time, but he assured her that he had a plan. When they struck the old set, they left the building standing so that it could serve as the basic set for the home in "The Glass Menagerie."

Catherine and Phoebe were working with some of the girls to make curtains, etc., while the boys help him reconfigure the basic shape. No one would be the wiser.

This morning when he came in, he found Mike working on it. In addition to directing the play, he had been helping to get the set ready for the weekend. He was full of restless energy and seemed unable to sit still.

"Don't you belong in school, son?" he asked, trying not to sound as if he was scolding. He wanted Mike to talk, not go off to ruminate over whatever was bothering him somewhere else.

"I guess so," said Mike. "But I'd rather be here. All I can think about is the show on Saturday. I got tired of sitting in class and listen to those teachers yack about stuff that I didn't care about anyway."

"Oh," said Rob. "I can remember feeling that way about it myself sometimes. But I never skipped out because of it. Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble with your folks?"

"My mom, yes," he replied, but added bitterly. "I don't think that my father could care less, now that I'm off the gravy train and all."

"What are you talking about?" asked Rob, bemused by the answer.

"I turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago," he answered. "That means that he doesn't have to pay child support for me anymore. His new girlfriend is so young, I'm surprised that he doesn't have to pay child support for her."

Rob looked at him as he was carefully painting the little cabinet that they had built for the "glass menagerie" of the title of the show. He knew that his parents were divorced and that his father was extremely displeased with his choice of college major, not to mention his first choices for college. He also knew that someone was coming out from NYU to see his play and that it could mean a scholarship that would make up for the fact that his father was refusing to help him out financially. He had not realized the degree of bitterness that was in his heart.

"Mike," he said. "This is none of my business, but you're only hurting yourself by skipping school and sitting here stewing over your father's bad choices. Now you just told me that he doesn't care. But just because he doesn't care, doesn't mean that you shouldn't care as well."

"I know," Mike sighed. "But I can't stand the way that he treats my Mom."

"Don't take this the wrong way," answered Rob. "But do you think that it will make your Mom feel any better if she finds out that you cut school today?"

"No," he said reluctantly. "I just feel like life is so unfair right now. It's like I have these two amazing opportunities dangling in front of me, but because my Dad is such a selfish bastard, I'm going to miss them."

"Those are some pretty strong feelings, young man," replied Rob sharply. "Not to mention, some pretty strong language. But I would appreciate if you would watch it around me. And I have some bad news for you. Life is almost never fair. Just look around and you can see that."

Mike put down his paintbrush and for the first time looked him in the eye.

"Are you talking about Trelawney?" he asked.

"I guess so," he said. "But not just her. My son lost his first wife and went through a hell of a time. It has taken years for him to find his way back out. And it's not just Trelawney who's been orphaned, but her sister Phoebe too. Both those girls have lost a lot. My wife lost her mother many years ago when she needed her most. The children's grandmother lost her only child when they lost their mother. None of that was fair. But it was life."

Mike was thoughtful. "But it seems like everything has worked out for them."

"It seems," said Rob. "But looks can be deceiving. Scratch beneath the surface of anyone's life and you'll find disappointments and sorrows. It's not about whether they'll happen. They will. It's about how you deal with them. That's what counts."

"I guess that makes sense," said Mike.

"It does," said Rob. "Now you and Trelawney have both had to cope with getting smacked down by life at a very young age. But even younger were my three grandchildren, and right now your brother Tim. In the end it will make you all stronger. And it will make you all better people for it. Or it won't. You can let yourself wallow in self-pity and be miserable. Then every time a new challenge comes your way, you'll see yourself as the victim. That can happen too."

Mike was thinking hard now.

"I know that you're right," he said. "But it's hard to look down the road that far."

"It sure is," replied Rob. "This is one of those times when Trelawney is lucky to be Trelawney."

"What do you mean?"

"As you well know, Trelawney is a simple child," he explained. "She never looks very far into the future at all. She lives in the moment and let's life take care of itself."

"She's also a very good person," said Mike seriously.

"Yes, she is," agreed Rob. "That's mostly because she doesn't think of herself. Now sometimes that's to her detriment, but she doesn't know how to be any other way. And she also doesn't run away from life, or hard things. When her crazy aunt showed up Sunday, she just looked her in the eye and refused to back down. She wasn't afraid."

"Yeah, I guess so. I've seen everyone else be afraid around her, but she wasn't," he said thoughtfully. "So I guess that you're saying that I should go back to school."

"That would be my suggestion," replied Rob. "But the choice is yours. After all, you are eighteen."

Mike gave him a smile. Before he left, he turned around.

"You know, Mr. Everett," he said. "Your grandchildren are real lucky to have you."

"I'm here for you too, Mike, anytime you like," he answered.

As the boy walked away, Rob shook his head. Fr. Bob had been right. There were too many of these kids in town who were disconnected from their parents, especially their fathers. A boy needs his father if he wants to become a man. Unfortunately in Mike's case, it seemed like the father was trying to be a boy all over again. What a jerk! He has a couple of great kids like Tim and Mike, and he throws them away. Looking at all the kids that he was presently working with, there was no way that Rob wanted to be a boy again.

**Show Time**

Sylvia knew the minute that she saw the florid handwriting on the envelope that the summons had finally come from Aunt Henrietta. She had chosen a very dramatic moment, the day before the play. But if she thought that it would make the least bit of difference to Trelawney Rose, she was wrong. It made no difference at all. She was oblivious to everything except Laura, her character in the play.

Aunt Henrietta's house was exactly as Dad had described it. The exterior was something of a shabby, but genteel structure. The inside was darkened for atmosphere. As he had said, the room in which she was received was filled with what he called "graven images." They were mostly Hindu signs and symbols. After all, Aunt Henrietta's business was the afterlife. If she weren't causing so much trouble, Sylvia would have thought it was a joke. But she knew that this could be deadly serious.

"Young Sylvia," she said imperiously.

"Yes, Auntie," she answered politely. "I am here at your request."

"Of course you are, my dear," she replied haughtily. "At least some of you Figalilly children have been properly brought up."

Sylvia knew that she was trying to upset her and throw her off guard. What she had forgotten was that Sylvia was probably the least emotional of the Figalilly children. Emmeline's calm reserve was mostly pretense. Hers was the "real deal" to use the current lingo. She would not be tricked into saying something that could be used against her in the future.

"Yes, Auntie," she said politely. "I'm sure that you are right. May I please sit down?"

Aunt Henrietta didn't answer but made a broad gesture towards an empty chair. Sylvia hoped that she would say something. At the moment she was in no mood for idle chitchat. The only things that were coming to mind that she might say were sarcastic remarks. And that would never do. But Auntie must have realized that she was determined to be respectful, because she made her opening salvo.

"You know of course," she began. "That it would be best if you took Trelawney Rose home with you when you return to England in a few days."

"I beg your pardon, Auntie," she said. "But we no longer have custody. Kidnapping a child and bringing her across international lines is a crime."

"Yes, well, I'm sure that your brother Lewis could take care of things for you," she replied sarcastically. "He does seem to be an expert at that."

"But, Auntie," she tried again. "There is no reason to take Trelawney Rose back to the village. She is well protected here. Grandfather has nothing to fear."

"The question, my dear, is not her protection. It is my darling Phoebe who needs to be protected from her."

"I don't understand," replied Sylvia, doing her best to maintain an innocent tone of voice. "The child is quite harmless. She reads her books and plays her piano. And she and Phoebe play with the dollhouse. What could possibly be the harm in that?"

"Sylvia, dear Sylvia," she replied. "My contact knows things that we in this world cannot know. She has never led me astray before."

Sylvia lowered her head as if in thought. She was thinking, but not as her aunt believed. This whole conversation was too ridiculous. If she weren't careful, she would burst out laughing. Of course "darling Rosalie" had led her astray before. She wondered how much longer she would have to sit there before she could politely make her departure. But when she looked up, the old bag was in a trance. Great, she thought, now the fun will really begin.

"Three lives hang in the balance," she said in what could only be considered a spooky voice. "The guardian is no guardian, he has hatred in his heart. The innocent child brings danger to all, as the bright light comes. The cousin is to be feared by the two sisters. There is great peril in the night when the bright lights appear in the sky. They will fall to earth as a portent of doom for all who stand and wait."

A moment later, she recovered herself and said,

"So Sylvia, dear, what were we discussing?"

But Sylvia could not speak. She knew that whoever or whatever Aunt Henrietta was channeling was genuine. Before she had spoken, her aura had been the murky greyish-brown that Trelawney Rose had described. While she was speaking, it had turned a sickly mustard color. Now it was once again a muddy color, the color of deceit. But the sulphur color implied anger within the spiritual realm. There was turbulence in the cosmos, but damned if she was able to figure it out.

Aunt Henrietta's genuine premonitions had a very negative origin. Of course most people who saw the performance would be unable to read the aura. The one time that she had truly fallen into a trance before was when she was with the family on the anniversary of her aunt and uncle's passing. sSe had terrified poor Trelawney Rose. There was no doubt because she had seen the change in the aura that she did. Phoebe probably had not noticed because she was pregnant and self-absorbed for the moment. Mum had warned her of that.

"I'm sorry, Auntie," she said. "I believe that you were telling me why Trelawney Rose should return to England with me."

"Yes, indeed," she replied. "You all must be very watchful of Phoebe. There are three lives hanging in the balance. Meg and Owen are most concerned."

"I am sure that they are," she said. "If you will excuse me, I have some matters to attend to."

"Of course, my dear, of course," she replied. "And do give my best to dear Phoebe."

"I'll be sure to do that," she said, thinking "when pigs fly." She could not get out of the house fast enough. She knew that when Aunt Henrietta went into these trances, she never gave the full story. The spirits were very careful to make their mischief seem to occur spontaneously. She wondered why she had never heard about the hatred in the guardian's heart or the lights falling in the dark.

She suspected that when she was play acting out her little charade in public, most of the time she was including the bits about the three lives in the balance, the two sisters, and all that rot because that was what she had been told by others what she had said. She had decided before going in for the interview however that she was not going to tell Aunt Henrietta what she said if she went into a trance. In fact, she refused to acknowledge that it had happened.

She decided that she would wait until she got home to tell Dad. She didn't think that he would be able to make any more sense of it than she could. However she had discerned something that he may have not. She believed that rather than being a perpetrator, Trelawney Rose could be a victim. She thought that one of the other victims might be Maisie. But at all costs this must be kept from Phoebe, or she might become very upset. The question for her now was whom she could safely tell.

Fortunately, she was able to put aside her concerns because Trelawney's play was due to open and close that weekend. In addition to the local family and friends, the children's grandparents had promised to come on Sunday. She was glad. She had liked Tom Williams very much. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but she felt as if she had met him before.

The Saturday performance of the play was a spectacular triumph for Mike and the four young cast members. The young men who played Tom and Jim did an excellent job. They were bit older than Trelawney Rose and Francine. This didn't matter for Trelawney Rose, because her character was obviously younger. And Francine had the maturity to carry off her role well.

After the play, she learned that the picture of "Mr. Wingfield," the absentee father, was actually a picture of Mike's own father. She had heard all about him from Phoebe and Catherine. Using that picture, which appeared to make the father almost a fifth character in the play, added an edge to the performance. While the family had assumed that Mike had chosen the play because he knew that Trelawney Rose could authentically carry off the difficult role of Laura, she herself believed that it was own identification with Tom, Laura's older brother that had impacted the choice.

Tennessee Williiams was one of the few American playwrights that impressed her. She had first been introduced to him when she had heard that Vivien Leigh was playing "Blanche DuBois" in the movie version of "A Streetcar Named Desire." A teenager at that time, she had known nothing of the play itself. She only knew Vivien Leigh as an actress because after reading Sophocles in school, as a treat, one of her aunts took her to see "Antigone" on the West End. That was when Sylvia had fallen in love with the stage, and Miss Leigh.

Naturally, her parents wanted to know what "A Streetcar named Desire" was about before they would let her see it. Her mother was horrified by the plot line and Sylvia was not permitted to see it. However, a couple of years later, that same aunt took Sylvia to Stratford-on-Avon to see "MacBeth," "Twelfth Night," and "Titus Andronicus," all of which featured her idol that summer. When visiting at home in these later years, she had shared her love of Shakespeare with her little cousin. As she watched her onstage, she felt no small amount of pride.

Essentially, Trelawney Rose was Laura, the young woman living in a kind of fantasy world. Sylvia had been concerned about the role of the glass unicorn in the play, but when she asked her about it, the girl had looked back at her in surprise.

"My unicorn is dead," she replied. "Laura's unicorn has only lost his horn. He became an ordinary horse just like the others. My unicorn was never ordinary."

"Why do you call him 'my unicorn?'" asked Sylvia quietly.

"He told me that he was," she said. "But now he is not. He is dead."

Whatever construction Trelawney Rose had placed on the unicorn, she couldn't figure it out. It was interesting that she was able to differentiate herself from Laura so well. Perhaps, she was truly acting out the part. The more magnificent job was actually done by Francine who had a much harder role to carry off. Although only thirteen, she had to play a middle-aged woman, bitter at being abandoned by her husband and with all her hopes now resting on the good marriage of her crippled daughter. These hopes were dashed by the end of the play and the "unhappily ever after" ending.

There was not as much of Mrs. Fowler in her performance as most people suspected that there would be. In fact her acting was much more subtle then that. No doubt about it, Mike had directed her to play the part more sympathetically, undoubtedly because of his feelings about his own mother.

He was quite clearly using the play to work out his own complicated emotions about his family on stage. But Sylvia saw nothing wrong with that. Some artists did their most brilliant work when working with autobiographical material. She did feel sorry that the young man saw his present situation as hopeless.

When the play was over on Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Fowler invited them to her house for a small celebration of the "opening." To celebrate the "closing" tomorrow afternoon, Mike's mother Lois had invited them all for a larger gathering that included the production crew. Despite the excellent reception of the play, Sylvia knew that Mike was more worried about the Sunday performance when the alumnus of the Tisch School at NYU would be there to see if he was worthy of a scholarship.

She thought that it was a pity that American universities had to be so expensive. She understood the boy's dream of a career on the Broadway stage. She had nursed a secret desire for a similar career on the West End for most of her life. She now watched the young man as he was surrounded by his small band of admirers that included young Sarah Tucker, another child with a dream thwarted by financial expense. It was a pity that money made things such as education so dear in this country.

**Sunday Surprises**

The same group was assembled for the Sunday performance, as had been there for Prudence's dance recital the previous week with some notable additions. Of course Prudence was not on stage, Trelawney and Francine were. Sarah and Topher Tucker were present, and Lois and Tim were also sitting with them. Trelawney's four admirers from the nursing home were there. Once again, Mrs. Fowler sat with them. Both she and Bernice carried large bouquets of flowers.

Phoebe was also pleased to notice that when Pastor Jason came in, he looked for them and sat with them. She was a bit surprised however because normally he avoided her relatives. However, since he had managed to effectively disguise himself from Lew, she supposed that he felt the same confidence with regard to Sylvia. She was glad. They hadn't seen much of him lately.

The play was even better than it had been the day before. The actors were more relaxed. They slipped into their roles easily and without some of the "overacting" that they had done the day before. The set that Rob and his production crew had built was excellent, but did not overshadow the performers by looking "too good." Instead, its simplicity complemented the understated performances of the characters.

Sylvia had told her that these performances showed outstanding direction on Mike's part. Despite their youthful ages, the actors were believable in character because they were not looking as though they were trying to Laura, Amanda, etc. Essentially, they became Laura, Amanda etc. Phoebe tried to see if she herself could tell this, but she lacked her cousin's eye for such things.

Sylvia had always been fascinated by theatre and spent a lot of time learning about such things. She decided to take her word for it and enjoy the performance. She could only hope that the fellow from Tisch would see the same things and offer Mike the money he needed.

At the end of the play, there were the usual curtain calls. After the actors took their bows, they called the production crew out and those kids took their bows. Then they all insisted that Mike come out to take credit for his direction. The last person to come on stage was Mrs. Duncan, who was technically speaking the play's producer. She had wanted to acknowledge Rob for his wonderful work with the kids, but he wanted no part of it. He wanted the kids to have their moment in the sun.

However, she did take the opportunity to say a few words about Mike.

"This young man" she said. "Started coming to our workshops eight years ago. From the minute that he was cast in the lead role in 'Oliver,' we could see that he was a very talented actor, full of potential. Like his alter ego in the musical, he always seemed to be saying, 'Please sir, I want some more."

Everyone in the audience laughed, as Mike turned the color of his bright shock of red hair.

"We've all watched him grow up, both on stage and off,' she continued. "In addition to his theatre work, he has also generously given his time to his parish youth group at St. Peter's. He has been a terrific role model for many of the young people in this community. We will certainly miss him when he goes off to college this fall. I can only hope that he will come back to help us on his summer breaks."

The audience exploded in applause and gave him a standing ovation. Mike came forward and bowed. Then he turned to the cast and crew and gestured to them. Humbly he said,

"I couldn't have done it without you, thanks for the greatest senior year that any guy could ever want to have."

Phoebe looked over at Lois and saw her wiping her eyes. She wasn't close enough to say anything, but she noticed that Pastor Jason, who was sitting next to her, put his arm around her. She knew that it must be a very bittersweet moment for her. Her son was about to embark into his future as a wonderfully talented and thoughtful young man. Yet she was unable to give him what he truly wanted, a shot at the New York stage.

When all was said and done, Mike came out to the families with Francine on one arm and Trelawney on the other. Each girl graciously accepted her flowers, while the drivers discussed how they would "caravan" over to the Lenihan's so that no one would get lost. Butch and Tim were excited because they were going to get to ride in Topher's van with the other kids. Prudence was going to ride over with her Nana and Papa.

Lois had a very nice home across town from where the Everetts lived. She had been awarded it as part of her half of the community property settlement so that the boys would not have to move. But her ex-husband had driven a hard bargain. In order to keep everything "even-Steven" she had taken less cash, which was why she herself couldn't give Mike more help.

As usual, Phoebe was feeling tired by the late afternoon. She had not gotten her usual nap because of all of the excitement with the play. Now that it was over, the kids were letting off steam while she just felt the anxiety slip away. She had not realized how nervous she had been while her little sister was on stage. Seeing that she was fading, Lois came over and offered her the guest room for a rest. She gratefully accepted.

"It's been quite thrilling the past few weeks," she explained. "All the children have had their successes of course, but Hal's sabbatical is an unexpected blessing. I guess that I am more tired than I thought that I would be."

"Honey, to put it bluntly," replied Lois. "You look exhausted. I don't think that anyone will fault you if you need to escape to lie down for a while. I'll make your excuses, while you slip out."

Phoebe went upstairs quietly and instantly fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she looked at the clock on the nightstand and realized that she had been asleep for over two hours. Because it was summer, it was still very light out. She figured that they had just decided to let her be. But since it was after six, she of course was hungry. She was just about to get up when she heard two familiar voices out in the hallway.

"You are the angel," she heard Sylvia say.

"And you are very perceptive," replied Pastor Jason. "Are you going to blow my cover, so to speak?"

"Absolutely not," she replied. "They need you, all three of them need you. What I have to tell you is critical to their safety."

Normally, Phoebe didn't like to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. If she were not so concerned for her child, then she would have gotten up, and after she excused herself, walked downstairs. Instead, she closed her eyes and lay very still.

"I know that you went to visit her," said Pastor Jason. "What has she said now?"

"First of all, only about one-quarter of what she is saying is mere performance," said Sylvia. "The rest is indeed someone trying to work through her and Rosalie to cause mischief."

"And Rosalie is too dull to see through it," he replied. "While Henrietta is too greedy to break the contact."

"That pretty much says it all," she said. "She really has no idea of what she is saying when she goes into her trances. It's quite frightening, really. Her aura becomes a rather nasty yellow mustard color. Someone out there is very angry. You need to stay away from her. Consciously she will not know you, but the spirit who speaks through her will. You cannot be revealed for who you are."

"Tell me quickly what she said," he replied. "We don't want to be missing for too long."

"Three lives hang in the balance," she said tensely. "The guardian is no guardian, he has hatred in his heart. The innocent child is a threat to all. The cousin is a danger to the two sisters. Beware of the bright light when darkness falls. When the lights come into to the sky, and they will fall to earth, then there is doom for all who stand at wait."

Pastor Jason was silent. Phoebe was now terrified. This was worse than what Lois had told her. She could feel her daughter's fear as well.

"Do you know what this all means?" Sylvia finally asked.

"I think I do," he said slowly. "But it will take many hours of prayer to fully sort it out. A misinterpretation at this point could be very dangerous."

"I know," replied Sylvia. "I was not sure of who I should tell before I left. Then when I saw who you truly were, I knew that I would have to tell you."

"Yes," said Pastor Jason. "You have done well."

"What should I tell the family?" she asked. "They know that I was very upset when I returned from my interview."

"Tell them to keep a close eye on the girls," he said. "Trelawney must stay close to Catherine. Phoebe must, and I mean must, stay close to Hal. The sabbatical has been sent as the mechanism for him to do this."

"I know that," she said. "I sensed that as soon as I heard about it. In fact I have already told them that."

"Good," he said with relief in his voice. "Then simply reiterate those instructions when you leave. Try not to cause too much alarm. When people panic, they begin to make bad choices. I don't suppose that you can stay?"

"It is not possible," she said. "Should I send someone else?"

"Not for now," he said. "For now, tell your father everything that you have learned. And there is another thing."

"What is that?"

"Tell Liam that no matter how angry he may become with Cholmondeley that he should not, I repeat should not harm him," he said sternly.

Then there was silence.

"Yes," said Sylvia. "I believe that I understand you."

"Good," he replied. "Why don't you wake up Phoebe? I will return to the party."

Phoebe heard footsteps going down the hallway. Then the door to the room opened.

"Phoebe," she heard Sylvia's voice. "It's time to . . . "

Sylvia stopped mid sentence. "You heard every word of that, didn't you?"

Phoebe who had turned and was looking into her eyes, nodded.

"Oh my poor love!" said Sylvia sitting on the bed. She took Phoebe in her arms and held her close. Phoebe grasped her tightly.

"It will be alright, love," she said softly. "You'll see. Things are already falling in place to protect you. You know that don't you?"

Phoebe could only nod.

"Phoebe darling, you have always had faith in the rightness of things," she said gently. "You have always believed that things work out for best when left to happen in their proper time. Do not lose that faith! It is your strongest shield."

"Yes, Sylvia," she finally managed to say.

"Now come along downstairs," she said more cheerfully. "I know that you must be starving."

Phoebe followed her, but for once she didn't have much appetite. Finding her husband she sat down beside him and he put his arm around her. He must have sensed her mood because he pulled her a little closer and gently kissed her head.

"It's okay, dear," he whispered. "Everything is going to be okay."

She knew that he wouldn't need Sylvia, Pastor Jason, or anyone else to tell him that he needed to stay close to her. He would.

**Dreams Can Come True**

On Monday evening, Sylvia Figalilly left with as little fanfare as she had come. All of the Everetts knew that they would miss her. Despite her cool reserve, she had a warm and loving heart. From the time she had arrived until the time she left, good things had happened. Catherine had enjoyed the way that she had quietly slipped into the family routine. The next day, as they were eating lunch the phone rang. It was Janet Tucker.

"Catherine, I had to call you right away to tell you," she said without even a hello.

"What is it, Janet?" asked Catherine. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is wonderful!" she replied. "I just received a call from Our Lady of Mercy. An anonymous donor is going to underwrite Sarah's education there for the next five years! I can't believe it. She hadn't even applied!"

"That is incredible!" said Catherine. "How did they know?"

By now, Trelawney was bouncing up and down beside her and saying, "Mama Kate, what is it? What is it, Mama Kate?"

"Shh!" she hushed her so that she could hear.

"When Lois was working to get Francine and Trelawney in, one of them let something slip about Sarah," she said. "Lois had asked us at the time, you know, but we just couldn't afford it."

"And you have no idea of who this unknown benefactor is?"

"Absolutely none," she replied. "It can't be Lois because she can't even afford to send Mike to NYU."

"Well, it sounds like Sarah has a guardian angel out there that she doesn't know about," said Catherine. "Does she know about it yet?"

"I'm going to tell her when she gets home from school," answered Janet. "This is an amazing opportunity for her. I still can't believe it!"

"Well, we're all very happy for you," she said. "I know that Trelawney will be thrilled. See you soon!"

"See you soon!"

As Catherine hung up, she saw that everyone was watching her.

"Tell us, Mama Kate! Please tell us!" cried Trelawney. "What is Sarah's wonderful news?"

"Let me catch my breath," she said. "It's seems that an anonymous benefactor is going to provide a scholarship so that Sarah can attend Our Lady of Mercy with you and Francine for the next five years!"

"Jolly good!" cried Trelawney, clapping her hands.

Catherine looked around to see Rob, Hal, and Phoebe all smiling as well. It was the first time that she had really seen Phoebe smile in a couple of days. She had been a bit worn down by all the excitement of the past couple of weeks and she had been very sorry to see Sylvia leave.

"They have no idea of who it is?" asked Rob.

"None at all," said Catherine. But she noticed Phoebe and Trelawney exchange one of their knowing looks. It was a look that they exchanged whenever they shared knowledge that only a Figalilly knew. She had a feeling that they knew who the anonymous benefactor (or benefactress) was, but she knew better than to even ask.

After lunch, the others left to sit in the living room and read while Trelawney played the piano. From the kitchen she could hear one of her happy little Chopin tunes. Then the phone rang again and it was Lois.

"Catherine, a miracle has happened!" she said.

"Let me guess," said Catherine. "Mike's scholarship came through. How much are they offering?"

"It's hard to even say this without choking up," she replied. "Catherine, it's a full ride! Tuition and room and board are all taken care of for the next four years."

"Oh Lois, I'm so glad for Mike!" she said. "Now he gets to pursue his dream!"

"Yes, he does," said Lois.

"Tell me, how did this all happen?" she asked.

"It's like this. The alumnus who attended Sunday's performance was extremely impressed, not only with the production and direction, but by the little talk that Mrs. Duncan gave about his contributions to the youth group at St. Peter's. That apparently is another part of the formula that we didn't know about, community service."

"Okay, so then what happened?"

"Well, this alumnus decided that he had to get Mike the money to go to Tisch. He was actually afraid that Yale would try to snatch him up first!" she said. "So he went to the scholarship committee and they discovered an almost forgotten endowment to provide funds for students who are active volunteers in their communities."

"I can't believe it! That sounds perfect for Mike!" she said.

"Oh, it is," replied Lois. "The only requirement is that he will have to work with underprivileged children in one of the neighborhood arts programs in the City. You know that Mike will love that!"

"Yes, we know that he will. But does he know about the scholarship?" she asked.

"Oh yes, in fact he called me with the news," she said. "The alumnus called the college counselor who told him. He's on cloud nine. In fact, the counselor was the one who had to give me the details."

"That is amazing!" said Catherine. "I am so happy for you."

"I knew that you would be," she replied. "That's why you were one of the first people I called. I can't tell you how grateful I am to Trelawney for her marvelous acting job, and Rob for his help with the set."

"Well, I can assure you that they both loved doing it," she said.

"I know, but I still wanted to say thank you anyway," she said. "Now I have more calls to make."

"That's fine, you run along. I want to tell the family right away."

When she walked into the living room, Rob looked up from his magazine and said, "Who was that dear?"

"That was Lois," said Catherine. "The scholarship came through for Mike. The alumnus was very impressed and they discovered an almost forgotten endowment. His schooling is fully paid for, for the next four years."

She watched carefully and noticed that Phoebe and Trelawney had exchanged another of their secret glances.

"That's splendid!" cried Trelawney. "Two lovely phone calls in one day! How happy is that?"

"Very happy," agreed Phoebe. "It looks as if everything is turning out fabulously for everyone."

"Of course it is," replied Trelawney. "There's good karma all around."

At the mention of karma, Phoebe's smile faded a bit and she edged a little closer to Hal. Catherine had not failed to notice that in addition to being more subdued for the last couple of days, she also seemed more insecure. Sylvia had told Hal to stay close by her and he had promised to be her strength. From what she could tell, he had not left her side since Sunday evening when she had come back down after her nap. Something was clearly up, but she had no idea of what it was.

But her concern was Trelawney. Sylvia had also warned her once again to keep her close. She was concerned because once the summer theatre program started in two weeks, Trelawney would be spending a good chunk of the day away from her. But she didn't want to disappoint the girl, or worry her. Mike would be there with her and she was sure that he would keep a careful watch over her.

Later that night, she and Rob were discussing all of the recent developments. It was frustrating, because in the midst of all the wonderful things that were happening around them, Aunt Henrietta was undermining everyone's good cheer.

"I wish I could do more than throw her out of the house," complained Rob. "What I really want to do is run her out of town."

"My primary concern is Phoebe and the baby," responded Catherine. "Once Butch's travel team season starts up, Hal is going to have drive him all over kingdom come."

"No, he's not," said Rob. "I have already decided that I'm going to do that. I told him and he was grateful. And it will give me some time with old Butch. Mrs. Fowler will be bringing Trelawney to the theatre program again, so that just leaves Hal with chauffeuring Prudence to Brownies."

"I can do that if we see the need," said Catherine. "I am starting to worry about Phoebe though. She's been looking very anxious the last two days."

"I know," said Rob. "Hal has been very attentive, but she still seems nervous. Did Sylvia ever tell you about her visit with Aunt Henrietta?"

"No," said Catherine. "Just like all of the other Figalillys, she is very good at dodging questions that she doesn't want to answer. I do know that she was bothered and I'm sure that she and David will review everything very carefully. I wonder if we'll have more visitors before the baby comes."

"I'm not sure," replied Rob. "Remember that we still haven't seen any of the Trelawneys since Cousin John."

"I have not forgotten," said Catherine. "I just wish that one of them would realize how much stress Aunt Henrietta is causing. Someone must have some control over her."

"My guess is that the only one is Grandfather Trelawney, although from what Sylvia has said, it seems like he may be almost as far off his rocker as Henrietta," he commented.

"Yes," replied Catherine. "But I think that we do have more resources at our disposal for dealing with the situation than we realize. Tom Williams has offered to help us out and Topher told his mother that he would do anything to protect Trelawney. And Bob and Ben would be here if there was actually anything that they could do."

"And that's the biggest problem of all," sighed Tom. "We have absolutely no idea of what we can do."

"We can let go and let God," suggested Catherine.

Rob was silent for a moment.

"We can talk to Pastor Jason."

_To be continued . . ._


	4. Chapter 4

**Ruminations and Revelations**

Pastor Jason had run into a lot of crazy situations as he made his long faith journey through the world, but the present one involving the mending and blending of the families surrounding Trelawney Rose Figalilly was probably the craziest. And was all due to one person: Aunt Henrietta aka Princess Lotus Flower. Every time things began to move towards a harmonious conclusion, some mischief-maker out in the cosmos started problems in a new direction. However, after his conversation with Sylvia Figalilly, he knew that even more serious issues could potentially surface.

It seemed to him that the best way to solve the "Aunt Henrietta problem" was for Grandfather Trelawney to tell her to leave. Unfortunately, he was still refusing to accept the fact that young Trelawney Rose was not his dear, departed wife Rosie. He suspected that it was Aunt Henrietta who was keeping her father's hopes alive to the detriment of all involved. James believed her because she was telling him what he wanted to hear. However, in all of her premonitions that appeared to be genuine, there was no indication that any reincarnations were involved. From a distance of thousands of miles, it was easy for her to deceive him.

It appeared for the moment, that there was no malicious intent on anyone's part. Aunt Henrietta was using her Princess Lotus Flower _persona_ because it was financially lucrative and she enjoyed her celebrity in town. She was trying to keep her father happy by helping him bring Trelawney home. She also actually thought that she was protecting her dear Phoebe. He knew that he must keep his eyes and ears open if he hoped to fit all of the pieces of this perplexing puzzle together correctly.

Fortunately, there appeared to be previously unknown reinforcements who being set in place as guardians. The better angels of a couple of very strong individuals were surfacing at this auspicious time. He knew that there was no way that this could be a cosmic coincidence.

He had always known that Topher was a very special young man, but as he grew towards maturity previously unknown facets of his nature were being revealed. Janet was very concerned that he was becoming too involved with the Everetts and their family problems. In fact she had recently come in to see him about it. He had found it difficult to relieve her mind without revealing too much about her son.

Tom Williams was another interesting figure. While it was impossible to tell without meeting him and learning more, it was very probable that he was the good king. One powerful indicator was that his renewed involvement into the family's life was entirely due to the presence of first Phoebe and then Trelawney.

Another clue that no one had picked up yet was that Williams was a very common Cornish surname. If there were an ancestral connection within his lineage to Cornwall, it would explain his recent comment about Aunt Henrietta, his insight into the danger that she posed, and his offer to help. Tom was no accidental player in the unfolding drama.

There was also the almost miraculous conversion of Bernice Williams' heart in order for her to accept Phoebe as Hal's wife and the children's mother. This process had certainly been set in motion five months ago at the Christmas Pageant by Trelawney. He knew that she had continued it by her phone call to Tom two weeks ago about the important baseball game. Once again, Tom was able to persuade Bernice to attend a family event because she would have the opportunity to slip away unnoticed if she wanted.

He had no doubt that Mike and Sarah's recent good fortune was the result of some form of intervention by Sylvia Figalilly when she had come to visit her cousin. Thus there was a pattern that was now emerging from Trelawney's interactions with others. Those who saw the beauty of the little girl for the sweet and simple child that she was, and loved her and cared for her, were rewarded by some quirk of fate.

Hal had been inspired by Trelawney's belief in the music of the spheres to pursue his science fair project on string theory. Had she not mentioned it, he would never even have known of its existence. It was this project that had won him his scholarship to Cal Tech that summer. And Prudence would not have switched dance schools if Trelawney had not begun to take lessons with Francine. Prudence's great desire that her grandmother attend the ballet recital had been the trigger for the reconciliation of Bernice with Phoebe's pregnancy.

Kindness was returned with kindness, and a lovely tapestry of interwoven strands of fate had emerged, composed primarily of the hopes and dreams of those that she loved. Yet because she was a little fey, Trelawney seemed unable to recognize that she was the source of all this good fortune. She acted in the only way that she knew how: she wanted to make others happy. Hers was a pure goodness. Such goodness was the natural enemy of the darker forces. Such goodness was also quite fragile in this temporal world.

The only true nemesis that she had ever faced was Cholmondeley. Whatever the canker was in his soul that had influenced his behavior years ago, it would not have spontaneously disappeared. It was even possible that like Aunt Henrietta, he was the unwitting tool of some malevolent force. His suspicion was that Cholmondeley was not truly evil. If he were, then some Figalilly, Trelawney, or other villager would have picked up on it years ago. But he was weak, like Aunt Henrietta, and therefore could easily have fallen prey to whoever or whatever sought to destroy the child.

His suspicion was that Cousin William, or Liam, was the "false guardian." That was why he had warned Sylvia that under no circumstances should he take it upon himself to avenge his cousins. An injudicious act by the impulsive, hot-tempered Liam could result in tragedy for all. The Featherstonehaughs would not take kindly to their kinsman's harm or mysterious demise. They had convinced themselves that Trelawney was lying to enable her sister to marry the man of her choice. The alternative was too wicked to contemplate. Acting against Cholmondeley in any way would add complexity to an already complex situation.

The innocent child was likely to be Maisie or Trelawney. That call was difficult to make without knowing more details. Phoebe seemed caught in the middle, but she was now well protected. At the moment, her greatest danger came from her own fear. She seemed to have lost her faith in the rightness of things. This was easily traced back to the moment that she had learned of the violation of her sister.

That had been the source of her anxieties and nightmares last summer. While that fear had been dispelled, others kept creeping in. He could understand how she could be questioning her faith. Many injustices had occurred to those around her, beginning with the untimely deaths of her parents. After the discovery of the injury to her sister, it meant that the three people that she loved best had been the undeserving victims of bad karma. He suspected that subconsciously, she was deeply fearful for her unborn child.

He wished that he could tell her that Maisie would doubtless be safely born, however he knew that such knowledge could potentially disrupt fate. It would also fail to account for possible complications after the birth for mother, child, or both. Painful as it was, the uncertainty kept the others on the alert. It was lucky that no one took Trelawney's cryptic words seriously, even if they could decipher them.

Her connection with the universal consciousness via her archetypal constructions seemed both innocent and whimsical. But he knew that she had a better understanding of that world and its relation to this one than anyone else. The only one who even had an inkling of this was Catherine. Fortunately, she was very good at holding her tongue whenever she felt it was necessary.

While he was still unsure of what Aunt Henrietta's blinding light was, he was fairly certain that the lights falling from the sky were not nearly as apocalyptic as Sylvia had imagined. He suspected that they referred to the timing of Maisie's birth in mid-August. If Hal knew of this aspect, it was certain that he would affirm this, but the sheer negativity of the premonition meant that it would also frighten him.

Lastly he thought that the threat of the cousin to the two sisters was quite possibly and most probably the threat that Liam posed to Phoebe and Trelawney if he should injure Cholmondeley. Because there were still those among his family who refused to believe Trelawney's story and were highly insulted that Phoebe had broken the betrothal to marry an outsider, it could easily become an excuse to harm the sisters and inadvertently the unborn child.

It was fortunate that there had been a four-month gap between the broken engagement and the marriage and then another ten and a half months time between the marriage and the birth of the child. In no way could it be said that that Phoebe had betrayed their family or the culture's code of ethics. He believed that once the child was born and it was discovered that she was indeed a fated child, that the Featherstonehaughs would be mollified. At the very least, they would no longer be able to quibble over Phoebe's choices.

The larger course of destiny must always be adhered to, even if it hurt their pride. Since Hal was the only man who could have fathered Maisie, Phoebe's rejection of Cholmondeley must then be viewed as a result of destiny changing its course. Most likely, the course change would be viewed as the result of the parents' untimely deaths. This was most unfortunate, since it would still leave the family room to deny the actual cause.

True reconciliation between the clans could not be achieved, until there was some form of acknowledgement and closure regarding Cholmondeley's wrong action. He would like to see the eccentric man proved as the fool that he was. It would be easier for all concerned if they were all able to understand and to see him as a puppet rather than a perpetrator of bad karma. That distinction could be made, if anyone could discern whether his abhorrent behavior was the result of mental illness or not. One did not need to be a psychiatrist to determine this.

No fully sane and rational person would ever behave in such a manner. Such sick people do not restrict their behavior to one victim. Until there was proof of other victims, he would reserve his own judgment with regard to the man. As a man of God, he knew that in any case such judgments were not for men, or even angels for that matter, to make. Because only God could know all, this level of forgiveness and the impact on the soul's journey remained the preserve of the Almighty.

Conversely, no one should take it upon himself to avenge any injustice without proof of intent. And under no circumstances, should a life ever be taken. Ultimately, Liam would achieve no "balance of justice" by his own wrongful action. In fact, he would achieve the opposite result. More negative forces would be released to create more chaos. And thus Liam would find himself the unwitting tool of the dark forces. Unlike the forces of light, the forces of darkness did not always work "cooperatively." Potential conflict between Liam and Cholmondeley might actually evolve into a chaotic conflict of evil versus evil.

Oddly enough, Trelawney might have been telling them this all along, although she probably did not know it herself. When she referred to the unicorn as being dead, it was perhaps not Cholmondeley himself, which made absolutely no sense. The evil demon that had inhabited him to do its destruction to her innocence was now dormant. What humans did not realize was that just angels might choose to "borrow" humans to do good works. The opposite was also true of demons. However, whereas angels sought strong souls, the demons gravitated towards those with weak characters.

There was no way of knowing how much of this was presently working in the lives of the Everetts, but from his perspective it was the only logical explanation. Of course, for no one else was this, a logical explanation, except perhaps Trelawney. However the child had a different calculus of logic than the others.

She was very much like her mother in her belief that God did not make mistakes. However on a subconscious level she understood that there were forces, the bad angels cast out of heaven, who would continue to challenge the primacy of God's goodness. They could not win, but they were capable of creating chaos as they tried. These creatures of darkness fed their own strength with the hatred and cruelty of others. Those such as Trelawney, who were not only incapable of hate, but inspired others to goodness, were their natural enemies. It explained the fragility of their beings. Those who tormented and persecuted them did so at the whim of the forces of darkness.

**Conference**

Catherine and Rob decided that they would speak with Pastor Jason together. They both had questions and it would be easier to ask them at the same time. It would mean that they wouldn't have to share the responses without him present to clarify. It was almost the end of the school year, so they would be able to ask Phoebe and Hal to stay with Trelawney for a short time after lunch and no one would be the wiser. Their major concern was shutting up Aunt Henrietta before her premonitions caused any real trouble for either Phoebe or Trelawney.

As always, Pastor Jason was available for them. Catherine had ceased to wonder how he knew when they needed him. She was just glad to be able to see him "on demand." He welcomed them cordially into his office and after the usual pleasantries were exchanged, got right down to business.

"Talk to me," he said seriously.

"We are very concerned about this whole situation with Aunt Henrietta," replied Catherine. "The whole thing is very stressful for Phoebe. That stress had increased since Sylvia left."

"Is Trelawney worried?" he asked.

"No," answered Catherine. "In fact she is very pleased with life. It seems that good things are happening for many of the people in her life. But a couple of days ago when she said that 'good karma' was all around, Phoebe seemed to be even more anxious."

"I can see why you are worried," he replied. "I know that there is a lot of good karma going around right now. Most of it is emanating from Trelawney and her relationships and activities. However, you are wrong to completely dismiss Phoebe's concerns. There is an undercurrent of bad karma that could surface at any time. Acknowledging the validity of her concerns and then promising to be vigilant will go a long way towards calming her."

"Sylvia told us that Catherine should stay close to Trelawney and Hal should stay close to Phoebe and that that would keep them safe," said Rob. "She also warned Hal not to become complacent."

"That is true. Especially the advice about complacency where Aunt Henrietta is concerned," replied the Pastor. "Remember that there are no absolute certainties in life. Proximity to the girls is meaningless if the guardians are not watchful. Don't allow yourselves to be lulled into a sense of security by lack of any definite or substantial threat."

"Does that mean that you don't believe Aunt Henrietta either?" asked Catherine.

Pastor Jason was silent for a moment.

"It is not a matter of believing or disbelieving," he replied. "It is a matter of how you receive the pronouncements and then act on them."

"You didn't answer my question," said Catherine as she felt her annoyance rising.

"Yes, I know," he said. "But if you want a more specific answer then I will tell you the truth. I don't know."

"Oh," said Catherine quietly.

"Pastor," said Rob. "Would there be any value in sending Hal and Phoebe out of town? We could easily take care of the kids for them."

"That is probably the worst thing that you could do," replied Pastor Jason. "Phoebe would be terrified if she thought that her only protection was to leave her family. And she would fight you about being separated from her sister. This is the exact kind of behavior that you need to avoid. Press the panic button and you will create a whole new set of issues."

"It's just so frustrating!" declared Catherine. "I feel as if there is nothing that I can do!"

"Catherine," said Pastor Jason in a soothing tone of voice. "Look at the big picture, the one that has evolved since you came to visit eight months ago. You are already doing a great deal. You have moved your whole life here to help her out and you have welcomed her sister into your home. You have given both girls nothing but love and support since you've met them. You have been very patient with the Figalillys and now they are your allies. But I will ask you to do one thing. Support Phoebe in her desire for a home birth."

Catherine was silent. She looked at Rob, who looked extremely uncertain.

"But suppose that there are complications?" she asked tentatively.

"The safest place for Phoebe's child to be born is at home," he replied, neatly dodging the question.

"Why is that?"

"In Phoebe's culture," he explained. "Children are born into homes, not hospitals. Hospitals are for sick people. It is therefore their view that since pregnant women are not sick, childbirth is not an illness. The child will have a much happier life if she is born at home. If she is born in hospital, she will always be fearful. And don't forget that Phoebe has already attended home births, including her sister's. She knows exactly what to expect."

Catherine grimaced at the thought.

"Her doctor is refusing to be responsible," she replied. "I am concerned because I doubt that there is any doctor around who will know how to safely deliver a child at home, or for that matter, one who would be willing."

"I am sure that there is at least one, and probably more than one, midwife in the community with the proper credentials. Home births are not as unusual as you think," he said. "If Phoebe is willing to undergo the discomfort, then it should be her decision."

"I suppose that you're right," answered Rob. "It should be her choice."

"Of course I'm right," he replied. "Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

"No, you haven't," Catherine admitted. "But I am worried about the time that Trelawney will be away from me during the day when she attends her theatre program this summer."

"She will be perfectly safe," said Pastor Jason. "No one is going to harm her in public. She will not go anywhere with anyone willingly. And Mike Lenihan will guard her with his life. He has been in to see me. He feels deeply indebted to her, and to you, Rob. You gave him hope when he felt very low."

"I only did what any caring person would," answered Rob. "The boy was obviously feeling betrayed by life. But he didn't need someone to help him feel sorry for himself. He needed a swift kick in the pants so that he would take responsibility for his own decisions."

"You're right about that," said Pastor Jason. "He already had plenty of people feeling sorry for him. What he needed was someone who was able to step back from the emotions of the situation. Participating in them goes a long way towards reinforcing them. You gave him some perspective when he needed it. It's a pity that someone can't do the same for Lois."

"She is very bitter," commented Catherine. "She's a very strong woman, but she can't seem to let go of this."

"No she can't," replied Pastor Jason. "But that is because she is still in love with her ex-husband. Despite everything that he has put her and the boys through, she would still take him back. In many ways, he doesn't deserve her. She is a good woman who, in spite of the current social trends, believes that a commitment in marriage is forever. She is also distraught about the effect that this is having on both of her boys."

"I imagine that she would be," said Rob. "Mike is very angry and bitter. He understands his father and, quite understandably, has responded by throwing him out of his life."

"For the moment," he replied. "That is probably the best thing that he can do. Until his father is ready to accept and affirm him for whom he is, he has the power to really harm him. And until Mike senior is ready to make these changes on his own, there is no controlling him or his decisions."

"Do you think he ever will?" asked Catherine. "Regret his decisions?"

"He may," he answered. "Only God knows. I never rule out a change of heart on anyone's part. Just look at Bernice."

"I have been," said Catherine. "She seems like a different woman these days."

"That's because she is," replied Pastor Jason. "Once again, God works in mysterious ways. In this case, it is less a matter of mystery and more a matter of Trelawney's love for your son's family. Bernice was causing all of them a great deal of anger and sorrow, but no one more so than herself. In her own innate goodness, Trelawney saw through her guise and helped Tom to bring her around. He is a very good and patient man. I would like to meet him someday."

"The way things are going," commented Rob. "I have no doubt that you will. He is coming up for Butch's playoff game tomorrow night. If the team wins, both he and Bernice will be up for the championship game on Saturday."

Pastor Jason looked thoughtful. Catherine knew that he was considering his options. She wouldn't be at all surprised if he made an appearance at one of the games.

"Tom has offered to help us protect Trelawney," she said. "He saw Aunt Henrietta's performance on the night of her birthday and was unimpressed. However, he also saw her as a threat to the girl and to Phoebe."

"Seeing Aunt Henrietta as a threat to Trelawney, and by extension Phoebe, does not take a lot of deductive reasoning," he replied. "And he owes a lot to Trelawney. When she effected Bernice's change of heart, it had a very positive impact on his life as well. He understands his wife very well and still loves her for who she is. They have had a long and loving marriage with no small share of suffering. He could have dumped her years ago, but instead he has chosen to stand by her. That's true love."

"Yes it is," said Rob. "And loyalty. Tom's a good man. And from what Hal and Phoebe have told me, he has always liked Trelawney."

"Yes, he has," agreed Pastor Jason. "Now I have another appointment coming in. My last advice is this. Try not to worry so much in front of Phoebe. She's a young and healthy girl and her pregnancy is going very well. We have no reason to believe that she will not give birth to a healthy daughter. Keep reaffirming that."

"We will, Pastor," said Catherine. "Thank you for your time."

After they had walked out, Rob turned to her.

"You know," he said. "As usual, he didn't answer half our questions."

"But he did tell us everything that we needed to know."

**The Champion**

Butch's team did indeed win their playoff game and were now due to face their biggest rival in the championship game on Saturday. While they were undefeated, the other team's single loss was to Butch's team. Since they were the higher seed, this time they were the home team. The rematch promised to be very exciting. In fact the local newspaper even carried a brief story about it. Butch was mentioned as the star reliever who had saved the day on more than one occasion.

Phoebe was terribly proud of him and carefully clipped the article and put it on the refrigerator beside the articles about Hal and his science achievements. When Butch saw it, he was pleased.

"Aw, gee, Mom," he said. "You didn't have to do that."

"No I didn't," she replied. "But I wanted to."

In an unusual gesture, the usually undemonstrative Butch gave her a hug. But he quickly sprang back when the baby kicked.

"What was that?" he asked, clearly startled.

"That was the baby," explained Phoebe. She then placed his hand back on her stomach and Maisie cooperated by kicking a couple of more times.

"Wow!" he said. "Do you think it knows that I'm her brother?"

Phoebe smiled at the use of the pronoun "it" and felt Maisie shift in displeasure.

"Butch, why don't we stick to saying 'she?' she asked. "It's not like the baby is an object."

"I know," said Butch. "But I'm really hoping that it's, I mean that she's, I mean that he's a boy."

Now Phoebe laughed because Maisie was even more insulted. Butch didn't understand what was so funny, but there was no way that she could explain it to him. So he went off shaking his head and muttering about "girls."

After he left, she turned back to the dinner that she was cooking. Her spirits had lifted considerably in the last two days. At Butch's game, Tom had made a point of sitting next to her. In between plays, he assured her that he would do everything that he could to look out for her and the baby.

"We Cornish have to stick together, you know," he had said with a wink.

Phoebe had raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes, my parents emigrated before I was born," he explained. "They were originally from Penzance. As always, there were never enough jobs, so my Dad decided to move to the States before the turn of the century. He was a blacksmith by trade and headed west with my Mom."

"That's very interesting," she replied. "Did Hal ever meet them?"

"I'm afraid not," he said. "They both passed away while Helen was a child. She barely knew them."

"How did you know that I was from Cornwall?" she asked curiously. "I know that I never told you."

"Those pregnancy hormones must really be affecting your memory," he answered with a smile. "You told me the first time that I met you. But when I told Trelawney about my own background she didn't seem at all surprised. She wisely nodded as if she already knew."

"That is quite possible," she said carefully. "Trelawney is very perceptive."

"Very," he said. "She has an instinctive understanding of human nature. She sees the good in everyone. If she does not see any good in Aunt Henrietta, then it means that there is no good to be seen. However I do not think that she is afraid of her."

"No she isn't. But she is smart enough to stay away from her."

"I thought as much," he replied. "There is something very unpleasant about the old girl. You should stay away from her yourself. Her 'bad vibes,' as the kids call them these days, are not good for either of you."

Tom's words had comforted her. After the victory, he had pulled her aside one last time.

"See you on Saturday," he said. "If you need anything, just ask. I'm here for you."

She had no doubt that he would be. She wondered if Bernice knew of his offer to act as a grandparent to Maisie. Now that she knew that he was Cornish, even if he was not of her people, it made her happy to think that her daughter would have even this slender thread to her heritage. But she was much less fearful of Bernice. She would be seeing her for the fourth weekend in a row and every time they met, it seemed that they were inching beyond acceptance towards a genuine friendship. For everyone's sake, she prayed that it was so.

On the morning of the big game, she felt tired. She tried to hide it, but of course Hal could see through her attempts.

"If you're not up to it," he said. "Then we can stay home. I know that Butch would understand."

"But you don't want to miss your son's big game," she replied. "If necessary, I can manage here alone."

"No!" he said sharply. "There is no way that I am leaving you home alone."

"But Hal . . ." she protested.

Her husband stood firm. If she were not up to attending the game, then he would not leave her side. She began to feel dreadfully guilty. Butch might understand, but he would still be disappointed. They had both been present for all the other children's big moments. She decided to take a nap and then see how she felt.

When she woke up around noon she felt somewhat refreshed. Hal looked at her suspiciously, but didn't try to stop her when she insisted on going. Of course he could always take her home if she didn't feel well again. Catherine also looked concerned when she saw her, but she also knew better than to try and stop her. She and Hal exchanged glances.

When they arrived at the ball field, the game was about to begin. Once she was comfortably settled in, they all turned their attention to the action on the field. The day was hot and sunny, but Hal had brought the umbrella. If the last game had been a "slugfest," to quote Rob, the rematch was a "pitcher's duel." It was less exciting, but more nerve wracking. She was glad that she didn't have to watch Butch pitch for the whole game.

By the top of the ninth inning, Butch's team was up 1-0. Butch was called in to close it out for the win. The first two batters went down on strikes, but the third reached on an error by the second baseman who, in his nervousness, overthrew the ball to the first baseman. The runner, who should have been out reached third.

With the tying run in scoring position and the "go ahead" run at the plate, the game seemed to rest on Butch. Once again, statistics did not matter. If the runner on base scored, it would be an "unearned" run, as would any subsequent runs. But if they lost the championship, Butch's individual stats would be meaningless. Teams won and lost games together.

As he wound up for his first pitch, he was probably the calmest one on the field or in the stands. Sensing her own anxiety, Trelawney had moved over to sit beside her and hold her hand. She looked up and gave her a tentative smile.

"It's all Butch," she whispered.

Phoebe nodded. There would be no funny hops of the ball today. She then watched as Butch methodically sent the batter down swinging on three strikes. In a battle of nerves, Butch had clearly been the winner. At first everyone was silent, as if they couldn't believe that the game was actually over and the championship won. Then one of Butch's teammates let out a whoop from the bench and the boys and coaches all rushed the mound.

Through swimming eyes, Phoebe watched the exuberance. But as the stress fell away from her, she felt everything go black.

The next sensation that she felt was a cool cloth on her head and someone holding a cup of water to her lips. As she revived, she realized that Trelawney held the cloth while Bernice was helping her drink. Apparently, it had all happened in the blink of an eye, before anyone else had had time to react.

"Stay back," she heard Tom say. "All she needs is a little air. She'll be fine."

"Take a few deep breaths," said Bernice quietly. "Very slowly. You don't want to hyperventilate."

Phoebe obeyed her and could feel her head clear. Trelawney moved aside so that Hal could kneel next to her and hold the cloth to her head. She could feel his grip tighten around her.

"Don't hold her too tightly, Hal," Bernice warned him. "You don't want to suffocate her. She's just had a little too much sun and excitement. If you overreact then you will upset the children. And that won't help Phoebe at all."

She could feel Hal loosen his grip and kiss her head. All she wanted to do was go home, but she knew that if she stood up too quickly that she would faint again. Above her, she could hear the others talking with one of the coaches who had a background as a paramedic. His advice was the same as Bernice's. Fortunately, most of the people, including the children, were so busy celebrating that they were unaware of her own little drama.

Hal wanted to take her to the hospital to be sure that she was okay, but the coach didn't see the point. Any benefit that she might get from an examination by the doctor would be offset by the anxiety of just going in. Because Phoebe didn't want to grab any more attention from Butch's big moment, she agreed. Other than being tired, she felt fine. And she had been tired even before she had arrived at the game. The only thing that mattered to her was that Butch was once again the hero of the game. She wanted him to garner all of the attention.

When she was ready, Bernice and Hal helped her to stand. She insisted on walking with them to the car and then sitting with Phoebe while Hal went back to tell Rob and Catherine that he was taking her home. As they waited, Bernice patted her hand.

"You'll be fine now," she said. "But you probably should not have pushed yourself to come to the game. Why didn't you just stay home?"

"Hal insisted that he would stay home with me if I did," she replied weakly. "I didn't want him to miss Butch's big game. I am very glad that we both got to see it."

"Well," she said. "All's well that ends well, but you really shouldn't take this kind of risk again. Listen to your body when it tells you to rest. And let Hal make his own choices. It's not just about you, you know. This child is just as much his as the other three are. You both won't be able to be in all places with each of the children all the time."

"You're right of course," sighed Phoebe. "But it has taken Butch so long to get out from behind his brother's shadow. I want him to know that we are equally proud of his accomplishments."

"You are, and he knows it," she replied. "But now you need to focus on your unborn child. Once she is born there will be plenty of time for more sibling rivalry to set in. Enjoy this lull for as long as it lasts. It seemed that as soon as the novelty of having a baby brother wore off, my grandson Hal got very jealous every time he stole the show."

Phoebe nodded and smiled weakly. She was too tired to talk anymore. Without thinking, she rested her head on Bernice's shoulder. She could feel the older woman pat her head gently and smooth down her hair.

When she woke up, she was in her own bed. Hal sat beside her in a chair.

"So you finally decided to wake up?" he asked cheerfully.

"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked looking around.

"Long enough," he replied. "You know that was quite a sight when I returned to the car. There you were sound asleep on Bernice's shoulder. She insisted that Tom follow us back to the house so that she wouldn't disturb you. I carried you up and we both tucked you into bed. They are presently up the street at Mother's house for the big barbecue."

"I'm glad," said Phoebe.

"So am I," he said. "It seems as if Bernice has finally taken that last step towards viewing you as a family member. She was very concerned, even though she didn't show it. It was the first time that I really understood why Helen came to rely on her so much when she was ill. She is a very strong woman."

"Yes, she is," replied Phoebe thoughtfully. "And now she seems to be a much happier one."

"I think that we're all a lot happier," he said. "You know, when it comes to Trelawney there are a lot of up sides and down sides to having her in the family. But in the balance of things, the ups far outweigh the downs."

"Do you really mean that?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears once more.

"Really and truly," he answered softly. "I feel as if every time I turn around, some good fortune for another is being attributed to her. Tom and Bernice feel especially blessed to know her. We talked for a while after we got you settled in bed."

"What did they say?" asked Phoebe curiously.

"Bernice admitted that it didn't matter to her who I married, if I remarried. And she was really hoping that I wouldn't," he replied. "Anyone that I married was a threat to Helen's memory. When Butch and Prudence seemed to reject Helen in favor of you last fall, she thought that her worst fears were being realized. The easiest thing for her to do was blame you."

"I guess that it would be," she said.

"Tom saw what was really going on," he continued. "But she wouldn't listen to him. In fact, she did not like being dragged out to the Christmas Pageant and was not pleased when Trelawney followed them outside when they were trying to leave without being seen. She told me how Trelawney insisted that Helen's soul would not rest peacefully until she accepted you. Deep down she already knew that, but she didn't want to let go."

"Tell me," asked Phoebe. "What caused her to let go?"

"When Trelawney put your hands together on Christmas Eve, she said that she felt as if Helen were telling her to set her free and hold onto to you," he explained. "As long as she refused to let go, Helen's soul could not be at peace."

Phoebe nodded.

"And all of this was because of Trelawney?" she asked.

Hal nodded in response.

"Trelawney's sensitivities may be disruptive at times," he said. "But she only exercises them for good. Tom believes that her nightmares are her subconscious mind battling the darker forces that threaten her very goodness, so to speak."

"How does Tom know about her nightmares?" asked Phoebe curiously.

"Do you remember the weekend that Prudence spent with them a couple of months ago?" he said. "You know how she prattles on about things. She told them about the nightmares and her fears of the dark. Tom figured it out right away. That's why he feels so tenderly about her. So does Bernice. No one knows this, but Helen had a younger brother. The age difference between them was about the same as what it is between you and Trelawney."

"She had a younger brother?"

"Sadly, he passed away as a child," replied Hal. "I never knew him. Like Trelawney, he was a special child, but physically much weaker."

"What do you mean that he was 'like' Trelawney?" asked Phoebe.

"He was a very simple child, and very good," Hal explained. "He didn't do well in school despite being very smart. He was able to read before he went to kindergarten. No one taught him. He would play for hours with his cars and trucks, and his blocks. He was constantly building things and telling stories about them. The other children teased him unmercifully because he didn't see things the same way that they did. He also had nightmares similar to Trelawney's with evil creatures chasing him."

"When did he . . . pass?" asked Phoebe.

"He was about six, I believe," said Hal. "He got scarlet fever and his body wasn't strong enough to fight it. But knowing this now explains a lot about Bernice's overly protective behavior with Helen when she was so ill."

"You didn't know it before today?" asked Phoebe, surprised.

"Helen never told me," he replied. "After we had you safely in bed and came downstairs, Bernice let her guard down. She told me the whole story. Tom offered up his own observations about the similarities between the two children. He may be a taciturn man, but he is a very thoughtful one."

Phoebe was silent. She was feeling tired again. Hal insisted that she eat something before she went back to sleep. She wondered about Helen's brother who had also been a little fey. She wondered what his name was. But she no longer wondered about Tom Williams and his caring interest in her sister. Tom had understood her all along.

**Side Show**

Once again, life was going well, when the specter of Aunt Henrietta popped up. This time Hal was really annoyed. The school year was drawing to a close and they were once again making the transition from school to summer activities. Thankfully, all the children, including Butch, had great report cards. Hal would be moving up to the high school next year, while Butch went to fifth grade and Prudence to second. Trelawney would start eighth grade at Our Lady of Mercy or just "Mercy" as they now called it for short.

Since the big championship game, a real serenity seemed to have fallen over Phoebe. The revelations by Bernice and Tom about Helen's previously unknown younger brother seemed not to have bothered her. The championship game also marked the last big event of the spring for them. Life had settled down.

It was obvious that she was more inwardly focused on the life that she would be bringing into the world in two months. But as Hal prepared to go away to Cal Tech for the summer, she became emotional. Each time they mentioned his departure, she would tear up. It was only then that he realized how much she had come to love and depend on his oldest son.

But as always, Aunt Henrietta just couldn't let things be. She had stayed away from them since Trelawney had threatened her with the dog. But now scraps of information began to make their way into their awareness courtesy of those who attended her séances. It seemed that she was keeping Rosalie very busy these days. However, he hit the ceiling one day when one of her messages hit him a little too close to home.

Mrs. Fowler came over in a tizzy one afternoon because Princess Lotus Flower had sent her to him with a message. He was grateful that she came over at a time when Phoebe was over at Mother's house playing with Trelawney and he was home alone working. Quite typically, she barged into the house unannounced and let herself into his study. Before he could throw her out, she caught his attention.

"Yoo-hoo! Professor!" she called out in her high-pitched voice. "I have a message for you from Helen."

Hal was too thunderstruck to speak. How dare Aunt Henrietta drag his deceased wife into this! It was a violation of his privacy that he would not easily forgive. Getting no response, Mrs. Fowler continued.

"Princess Lotus Flower was communing with the other side when Rosalie told her that Helen had a message for you," she said. "Helen is concerned that you are ignoring her children to give all of your attention to the present Mrs. Everett."

"Out!" he roared as he could feel his blood boiling.

She scooted out hastily. Hal leaned back and closed his eyes. This was totally crazy. He had been told that he must stay close to Phoebe to keep her safe. Now it seemed that someone was trying to emotionally manipulate him into dropping his guard. He rapidly made his way to Mother's house and sought out his father. Rob was furious when he told him.

"That woman is a raving lunatic," he fumed. "What does she take us for? Of all the shallow, cruel, and manipulative things that she could say!"

"What should I do, Dad?" he asked. "Phoebe is calm and happy again. What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know, son," replied Rob. "But this latest stunt was clearly meant to hurt. It really doesn't matter what she claims that Helen said, the fact that she is abusing her memory in this way has crossed a new boundary of indecency."

"I would like to go and punch her in the nose," said Hal.

"I'd like to do worse than that," said his father. "But that would solve nothing. We need to approach this logically."

Hal looked at him dubiously.

"Even if the situation has no logic," he added. "We can't let ourselves be sucked in by these feeble attempts to distract us from the real issue."

"Which is to keep Phoebe safe," said Hal.

"Yes and Trelawney as well," his father said. "We need to stay vigilant, but not panic. We know that everything that she is saying about Helen is just as nonsensical as what she claims about Phoebe's parents. To quote your sister-in-law, 'the angels have no truck with her.'"

Hal smiled weakly. "Well, it's probably better if we don't mention this to the girls. What about Mother?"

"Oh, I can guarantee that Mother is up to it," he said grimly. "But I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to punch her in the nose also. One of these days there's going to be a showdown between the two of them and it won't be pretty."

"I'd like to see that," joked Hal. "In fact I'd even pay the price of admission."

"And what would that be?" asked Rob laughing.

"Being in her presence," replied Hal. "As long as Phoebe wasn't there."

"You're right about that," said Rob more soberly. "But I don't think that she'll be coming here any time soon. I was amazed at how seriously she took the threat of Elspeth. Of course she was really worked up, baring her teeth and everything."

"Something tells me that we shouldn't judge Elspeth by her size," said Hal. "I would put my money on her in a fight with any other creature if she was defending Trelawney."

"Well, let's hope that we never get the chance to see that," replied Rob.

Mother was infuriated when Hal told her about Aunt Henrietta's latest pronouncement. She agreed that they should not tell Phoebe. However, she also pointed out that it was one of those statements that were too rational and lucid to be true. No doubt Mrs. Fowler was following instructions, but she was also incapable of seeing her playacting for what it was. After talking with his parents, Hal felt a little better, but it still stung.

Phoebe sensed his mood because later as they lay in bed together she asked him if he was feeling well.

"I'm fine," he said in a subdued voice. "But I am a little tired after four busy weekends. And we only have a couple of more weeks with Hal until he leaves."

"I'm going to miss him too," she said. "And by the time he comes home, Maisie will be with us."

The thought of that cheered him up. He snuggled with his wife, but she was too large too comfortably make love to anymore. He didn't miss it. There was another kind of thrill that he felt when he was holding these two precious lives in his arms. He knew that this was an experience that Helen would never have begrudged him. And the children had received much more of his attention since Phoebe had come than they had ever gotten before.

But it was impossible to avoid Aunt Henrietta. The long anticipated Trelawney relative arrived from England in the form of Uncle Charlie. Charles Trelawney was another of Meg's siblings, the father of the unfortunate John, and husband of Aunt Clara, nee Featherstonehaugh. At least Aunt Clara had chosen to remain at home.

Uncle Charlie seemed to be a gentle soul, although Trelawney asserted that he was "quite" under the thumb of his more forceful wife. Phoebe thought that he was chosen because he was one of the least combative of her mother's family. He was so mild-mannered that even Trelawney liked him.

They were having dinner one night, when Aunt Henrietta decided to make an appearance. True to form, she walked straight into the house without ringing the bell or even knocking, dressed in her full regalia of scarves, bangles, and turban. His three children all smiled knowingly and Prudence giggled, but Elspeth was clearly displeased.

Trelawney grabbed the growling dog and left the room, but Waldo picked up where she had left off. His son Hal grabbed Waldo and on the way out, he quietly told him to stay with Trelawney and not to let her return until she was gone. Hal nodded and gave Phoebe a look of reassurance. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer.

Mother stood up and calmly asked her to leave.

"I am here to see my dear brother," she declared grandly. "How long has it been Charles?"

To Hal's amazement, her kind, gentle brother stood up to her, face to face, and retorted sarcastically, "Not long enough. Now isn't it time that you picked up your circus show and took it on the road? You've been here for almost eight bloody months. Time to shove off then, eh? Little bit too long for one of the family to be in one place, eh? What was you thinking, girl? Getting into one of them nasty ruts, is you?"

"Why Charles, you know very well that Father sent me here to keep an eye on things," she answered smoothly. "Now you ought to know better than to disobey James Trelawney."

"And you should know better than to lie to him," he said. "Johnny told me about your nonsense. He was in court for all the testimony regarding the little one's custody. And he saw how upset poor Phoebe here was. What's in your mind, woman? It's thanks to you as much as anyone, if three lives hang in the balance, you old fool."

"You cannot tell me that Father does not want the child returned home," she said.

"No, I cannot," he replied. "But Father is much too old to care for her. And Emmeline has talked it through with Alma. Understanding how things are, such as they are, she is now refusing to take her. Alma loves the girl more than her own life, and Phoebe and the baby too, and she wants all of them happy. Besides, the child is a Figalilly and it's for David to decide where she lives, and with whom. David Figalilly is not a man to be swayed by sentiment. If he had any worries concerning the girl's safety, he would have brought her home four months ago."

"David is a fool," she replied. "And Emmeline will come to a bad end. She and William both will bring grave troubles to the family, mark my words. And then you'll have your wife to contend with as well."

Hal could feel Phoebe's anxiety rising at the mention of Emmeline's name, not to mention at the apparent _non sequitur_. But Uncle Charlie and Aunt Henrietta were locked in a battle of wills as only two siblings could be. Things were about to get very ugly. Butch stood up and tipped his head in Prudence's direction.

He nodded and Butch led a reluctant Prudence out of the room to join the other two children and the dogs in the backyard. He wished that he could do the same with Phoebe but he didn't want to call Aunt Henrietta's attention to either of them, fearful of what she might say.

"David Figalilly is no fool," said Uncle Charlie tensely. "And you owe him the same respect that you would any other _paterfamilias _in the village."

Aunt Henrietta seethed. She knew that her brother was right, but didn't want to admit it. It was like watching a battle between Hal and Butch, when the younger brother bested the older in logic. She also didn't want him interfering in her present, rather comfortable, situation. The fact that he was taking such a strong stand against her, and undoubtedly his father as well, meant that there was disorder in the ranks of the family. Perhaps even a _coup d'état_ was about to take place.

Phoebe had told him that Uncle Charlie was next in line to be _paterfamilias _of the Trelawneys. It appeared that he was asserting his authority early. Mild-mannered and gentle as he seemed to be, it was very clear that he had nerves of steel and a will of iron. Dad was watching in amusement, but Mother was waiting to jump in to defend Phoebe and/or Trelawney if necessary. He just wanted to make Phoebe and himself as inconspicuous as possible so that she would leave them alone.

Then, Aunt Henrietta's anger gave way to a dull stare. Uncle Charlie took a step back and Phoebe gasped. They obviously could see something that the rest of them could not. Mother and Dad reflexively moved closer to them. She spoke as if in a dream, somewhat as Trelawney did when she had her moments. Only her voice rang with malevolence.

"Beware of danger as the bright light comes," she said in a loud and creepy voice. "Three lives hang in the balance, threatened by one. The cousin has the power to destroy the two sisters. Hatred is in the air. The day is coming when the innocent shall suffer. Only the elder generation can save the younger. Doom awaits those who stand waiting as the bright lights fall."

They all stood transfixed as Aunt Henrietta's affect slipped away as if she had taken off a mask.

"Charles," she thundered, picking up the previous conversation without skipping a beat. "I do not have to listen to you. As long as there is a single breath left in the body of James Trelawney, he is my master. I will stay here to protect my darling Phoebe. If you had an ounce of common sense, then you would take the child away with you."

"No, Henrietta," he said, shaking his head. "You're the one lacking in common sense. And you've lost your sanity. I didn't want to believe young Sylvia but now I've seen it for myself. You're the one who is the danger to your darling Phoebe, deceived by what you are too blind to see. Now look here. Can't you see that you've frightened the poor girl half to death? And her, carrying Meg and Owen's first grandbaby. I don't know what you're thinking and neither do you."

"This is outrageous!" she shouted. "How dare you accuse me of endangering my beloved niece and her child? Rosalie has come to me time and time again with words from our dear sister, begging, yes I said begging, me to save her."

Now Uncle Charlie shook his head sadly. Whatever was going on, that none of the Everetts understood, made sense to him.

"Now I have a prediction for you, Henrietta," he said calmly. "If you don't stop repeating whatever nonsense that insipid child tells you then your predictions will come true. Only you will have set them in motion yourself."

It was obvious that Phoebe understood the subtext of the argument. Hal drew her closer and she buried her head in his shoulder. He held her securely in his left arm while he placed his right hand over her head. He was trying to shelter her as much as he could from the turbulence of the emotions swirling around them. He glanced over at Mother who now looked ready to explode. Dad stood up.

"Aunt Henrietta," he said patiently. "I am only going to tell you once to leave my house and never return. And while you are at it, you will also stay away from Hal's home. As _paterfamilias _of the Everett family, I am asserting my rights to keep my people safe."

"And if I choose to ignore your assertion?" she asked boldly. Hal guessed that as long as she was ignoring Uncle David's authority, she had also decided to ignore Dad's. She was also standing up to her brother. It was most peculiar that in a world that clung so powerfully to the dominance of the male that the female would so strongly assert itself. And Mother saw this right away.

"Then you'll hear mine," she replied, fighting "female with female," so to speak. It was obvious that all of the anger and frustration that had been building for months was about to erupt from his normally sweet and gentle mother. Like a summer storm, over the months the dark thunderheads had been building. Unless Aunt Henrietta backed down, they would release their full force.

For the first time, Aunt Henrietta turned to her and insolently returned her gaze. It was clear that she had no respect for her. She was too angry and jealous at the way that she felt that Mother had usurped her place in Phoebe's affections. But they had never directly confronted each other before. Both were filled with pent up emotions.

"You are as ineffectual as your husband," she said dismissively. "You do not even know what you are dealing with here. You shelter that fey little creature, who has the power to destroy you all. She belongs at home in the village."

"The only destructive force in this house right now is you," replied Mother. "Every time that Phoebe is happy, you stir up whatever problems suit you best. You manufacture the stress and worry that threaten her and her child. Leave her alone. Leave us alone."

"No! You fools are ignoring the pleas of those who have passed into the next life. Meg, Owen, and even Helen have all been offering you guidance and yet you cast it all away because of your own hubris. It is very clear that you do not know what you are doing!"

"Neither do you!" replied Mother, through gritted teeth. "Talk about hubris! This farce is over. We know you for who you are! And you are nothing more than an old fraud and a faker. Your little game is over."

"Never!" she cried. "Never will the forces of darkness and light cease their perpetual struggle!"

By now she was gesticulating madly. Her wild motions and dramatic tones were no longer amusing. Hal was glad that Phoebe couldn't see her, even if she could hear her. He was glad that he had discussed her with Sylvia. At this moment she really did look like the Oracle of Delphi gone mad and to quote Sylvia, "not making a lick of sense." It was because of this insight that he was able to maintain his composure.

"Take this pathetic little act out of my house!" yelled Mother. "No one here believes you!"

"You will pay for your disrespect, Catherine Everett," thundered Aunt Henrietta. "The day is coming when you will rue your words!"

The vehemence of Aunt Henrietta's response was shocking. But Mother refused to be intimidated.

"Get out of this house instantly!" she shouted back with equal force. "Or we'll let the dogs chase you out. Now wouldn't that be a sight? You, with scarves flowing, running out of the house chased by a pair of barking dogs."

Aunt Henrietta could see that she was deadly serious. With one last proud gesture, she flounced out of the house grandly, with head held high. Then there was dead silence, until a sob escaped from Phoebe.

"There, there," he whispered.

The children must have realized that Aunt Henrietta was gone because they came running back into the dining room with the dogs following close behind.

"It was all that we could do to keep them in the yard, Dad," said Hal. "We heard the shouting and Butch and I had to pin Prudence and Trelawney down and hang onto the dogs at the same time."

Hal noticed that Uncle Charlie was looking at the scene with concern. He walked over to Phoebe and knelt before her.

"Pay no mind, Phoebe love," he said softly, taking her hands in his own. "It's all in God's hands really. Now that I've seen her for what she is, I'll have Father call her off. And don't worry about the little one. She's safe with your good Catherine to look after her."

Phoebe looked into the kind face and Hal could see that his gentle gaze and soothing voice were calming her. As he had noticed sometimes with Trelawney, they appeared to be communicating without words. Phoebe's face began to acquire the same sweet serenity that it had lost when Aunt Henrietta had entered the room.

Mother was still breathing heavily from her exertion and sat down limply in her chair. Dad was still angry, but seemed to be controlling his temper for the sake of the others. All the children except Trelawney seemed confused. She was surprisingly calm. He could understand that. He felt calmer himself. It was as if the battle of female wills had dissipated some of the angst and tension that had been building since Aunt Henrietta had arrived.

Trelawney looked at Uncle Charlie and asked briefly, "Mustard or red?"

He looked at her seriously, and replied, "The former."

"Did you see it too, Phoebe?" she asked, turning to her sister.

Phoebe mutely nodded. But Trelawney looked thoughtful. Hal wondered what they were talking about. Before he had the chance to ask, Trelawney turned to Mother.

"Jolly good show, Mama Kate!" she said cheerfully. "It's about time that Auntie got her comeuppance. I didn't know that you had it in you."

"Me neither," replied Mother weakly.

"Well, you are a Leo you know," she replied seriously. "You certainly sounded like a lioness defending her cubs against the predator. You know there's nothing more fierce than a mother protecting her young."

"Did I?"

"And how," agreed his son Hal. "Grammy, if I ever need someone to defend me, I'm going to call you up."

"Yeah, man," chimed in Butch. "You said all the stuff that I wanted to say to that old witch since I met her."

"Me too," echoed Prudence.

"Here! Here! Catherine," added Uncle Charlie with a hint of humor in his voice. "It's been a long time since anyone laid the old woman out in lavender. I pulled myself back from the fray once I could see that you were up to it. I always did like to see Henrietta get hers."

"So this has happened before?" asked Dad.

Uncle Charlie nodded. "About every five years or so someone or another gets fed up with her foolishness and lets loose. This was one of the better shows, I must say."

"Aw, man," said Butch. "And we had to miss it."

Uncle Charlie and Phoebe exchanged looks.

"It's better that you did, lad," he replied. "It's easy to laugh about it now, but it's quite a different sight to behold. It's not easy to stand up to her when she's in that state, but your grandmother did it as well as anyone could. I do like that image of the dogs chasing her out of the house. Now that would have been a sight to see. What made you think of it?"

"I don't know," she said. "I knew that she wouldn't take threats of violence seriously. I suppose that I thought that humiliation was the next best option."

"Good choice," he nodded. "I'll have to remember that. The family will certainly have a giggle when I get back home and tell them."

"Will you be leaving soon?" asked Trelawney wistfully.

"Yes, little one," he said.

Seeing her disappointment he added, "I do have the farm to tend to. The kids and lambs, not to mention the calves, don't look after themselves, you know."

"I know," she said. "But it would be lovely if you could stay. I miss those that visit from the village when they leave. Those that roam are those that I didn't see much of. It's not the same when they pop in."

"No it's not, I'm sure," he replied kindly. "But those of us in the village have our work to do. You understand then, don't you?"

"Yes, of course, Uncle," she said putting her arms around his neck.

It only then occurred to Hal that the child was still homesick at times. It was no wonder that she enjoyed her time with Phoebe so much. He wondered if Phoebe was ever homesick, but he doubted it. She had enjoyed her days of wanderlust and had made it very clear to him that he was now her home. He hoped that they had seen the last of Aunt Henrietta for a good long time. Perhaps Uncle Charlie could even convince Grandfather Trelawney to send her away.

There were many things that he still didn't understand about his wife and her family, but he had finally come to understand one thing. Trelawney was not the cause of their problems. In fact, she was as much of a victim as Phoebe. Sylvia had been right. Her sweet and simple goodness and uncomplicated emotions were a blessing. Under his arm, he could feel Phoebe resting more comfortably against him. She had discerned his thoughts and they were now helping to sooth her. But they needed to leave. It was time to get her home to rest before she relaxed enough to fall asleep.

**Epilogue**

Once Charles Trelawney was gone, Catherine returned her focus back to Phoebe and Trelawney. It seemed that more than ever, they needed to escape into a world of their own making. She wondered how they could play for hours with the dollhouse as they did. Finally, she asked Phoebe.

"It's Trelawney's way of coping," explained Phoebe. "The stories that she tells help her to work out things in her mind. She doesn't play with Prudence this way because Prudence can't understand her."

"Do you?" asked Catherine curiously.

"Yes, I do," replied Phoebe. "The dolls represent the two of us. They always have. Mum and Papa originally created this little play world for her so that she could express her feelings when I was away. Now she uses it to express the worries that she doesn't understand."

"What is she worried about?"

"She is afraid that she will lose me. But it doesn't have anything to do with any fear that the family will take her away," said Phoebe. "She is afraid that by growing up she will no longer have me in her life."

"That is an odd fear," commented Catherine.

"Not if you are Trelawney," answered Phoebe. "The truth is that she may never grow up, emotionally that is. She will read her books and play her piano and play with her dolls. She will help me raise my children, if she returns to live with me while they are young. If she had stayed in the village and I had married one of our own, that is how it would have been. And there would always have been someone in the family to care for her. If I predeceased her, the duty would have fallen to one of my children."

Catherine was silent. Somehow, she had always sensed that this was true. She had always known that the child was special, but it had never occurred to her that it was in this way. It was no wonder that her family loved her so much and wanted to protect her. Phoebe looked at her and answered her unspoken question.

"No, Catherine," she said quietly. "Trelawney is not a burden, she is a gift. She is truly good and honest. Aunt Henrietta is threatened by her purity and innocence, and that is why she doesn't like her. Trelawney has a genuine prescience and mysticism that few others do. She only wishes to use her gifts for good, as she has clearly demonstrated this year. Unlike Aunt Henrietta, she is not a creature of the circus, full of illusion. She is a child of the pure, golden light."

"Have you always known this?" she asked.

"Before she left the village where she was sheltered," she explained. "It was not really apparent. She was also too young. But even you should be able to see that she is not keeping up with children her own age. Butch is now the same age that she was when she moved here. He is growing much more mature."

"Will she be able to manage in school?"

"I don't think that it will be a problem," she said. "She is smart enough to keep up with the other students academically. In a Christian, all-girls school environment, she should thrive because the others will appreciate her kind and gentle spirit. Francine and Sarah will protect her against all threats, but I suspect that there won't be any. The culture of the school appears to be such that any meanness directed at her will be viewed as wrong."

"Do you ever worry about what will become of her, when she reaches adulthood that is?" asked Catherine.

"No," replied Phoebe. "I know that Hal will help me to keep her safe. Trelawney's ability to see others as archetypes means that she has true second sight into their natures. That is why she has been so patient with Hal, and more recently with Prudence, in this regard. She has always had faith that in the end they will be true to their real selves. Once again, Hal will be her gallant knight and Prudence will be her wee fairy to light the darkness."

"Are you at peace now, dear?" asked Catherine.

Phoebe smiled. "Yes. The confrontation with the evil witch has taken place and the good queen has won. The wise gentleman has asserted his rights over the family. I believe that the good king is closer than we think. For the moment, all is well."

"Only for the moment?" asked Catherine.

Phoebe nodded. "The ebb and flow of the universal consciousness means that all peace is temporary. There will always be forces that try to disrupt it. Those forces are larger than human beings. Those who fall prey to them, like Aunt Henrietta, are weak. Those who fight them, like Trelawney, are strong. It is more than cosmic irony. It is the truth."

"What about all of her ranting when she is in a trance?" Catherine asked.

"If she is no longer here to rant them, they will hopefully slip away," replied Phoebe. "But I trust those around us to keep us safe."

"Meaning you, Trelawney, and Maisie?" asked Catherine.

With a secretive smile, Phoebe nodded and once again bent her head over her knitting. Catherine knew that they were presently only under a temporary reprieve from the machinations of fate. She would like to believe that the reprieve would last until Maisie was born. Perhaps it would. But even if it didn't, they would be ready.

**The End**


End file.
